FCC Consumer Complaints – 9 October 2017

Introduction

On 9 October 2017, 906 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 301 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 578 complaints recorded.

Key statistics

Total complaints
906
States & territories reporting
47
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (578)
Most reported state/territory
California (104)

Where the complaints came from

A total of 906 complaints were recorded on 9 October 2017, with reports originating from 643 cities in 47 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.

The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.

State/Territory Complaints
California 104 11.5%
Florida 69 7.6%
Texas 56 6.2%
Ohio 52 5.7%
New York 49 5.4%
Pennsylvania 43 4.7%
Virginia 40 4.4%
Georgia 32 3.5%
North Carolina 30 3.3%
Colorado 29 3.2%
Other states and territories 402 44.4%

What the complaints were about

Complaints recorded on this date related to 4 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 704 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 704 77.7%
TV 109 12.0%
Internet 72 7.9%
Radio 21 2.3%

Phone complaints

704 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.7% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 578 82.1%
Billing 45 6.4%
Availability (including rural call completion) 15 2.1%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 15 2.1%
Privacy 14 2.0%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 13 1.8%
Equipment 12 1.7%
Junk Faxes 7 1.0%
Interference (including signal jammers) 3 0.4%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 2 0.3%

As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) among the most common.

TV complaints

109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.0% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 45 41.3%
Availability 22 20.2%
Loud Commercials 18 16.5%
Equipment 11 10.1%
Indecency 10 9.2%
Privacy 2 1.8%
Interference 1 0.9%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Internet complaints

72 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.9% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 24 33.3%
Speed 17 23.6%
Availability 15 20.8%
Interference 5 6.9%
Open Internet/Net Neutrality 5 6.9%
Equipment 4 5.6%
Privacy 2 2.8%

A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Availability among the most common.

Unwanted calls

578 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 63.8% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.

Most reported caller ID numbers

Telephone number Complaints Share
(610) 347-9744 6 1.0%
(425) 553-2176 5 0.9%
(718) 568-2230 4 0.7%
(407) 393-8271 3 0.5%
(410) 223-8071 3 0.5%
(512) 861-4733 3 0.5%
(215) 383-3671 2 0.3%
(312) 888-7383 2 0.3%
(407) 965-6508 2 0.3%
(417) 720-4730 2 0.3%

Key patterns

  • Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
  • Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
  • (610) 347-9744 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
Page last updated: 10 December 2018 with FCC complaints data from 9 October 2017.

The information presented on this page is based on consumer complaint data submitted to regulatory authorities. References to telephone numbers reflect reports made by consumers and do not confirm ownership, authenticity, or that the number was genuinely associated with the call. Caller ID information may be inaccurate or subject to spoofing.

Complaint categories, dates and complainant locations are based on the source records and may contain incomplete, approximate or user-entered information. Location details refer to the complainant’s reported location, not the location of the caller or telephone number. This content is provided for informational purposes only.