FCC Consumer Complaints – 11 October 2017
Introduction
On Wednesday, 11 October 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1170 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1177 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 744 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1170
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (744)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (135)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 11 October 2017 show 1170 complaints originating from 802 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. 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 | 135 | 11.5% |
| Florida | 105 | 9.0% |
| Texas | 79 | 6.8% |
| New York | 76 | 6.5% |
| Georgia | 52 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 46 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | 45 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 44 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 42 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 41 | 3.5% |
| Other states and territories | 504 | 43.1% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 947 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 947 | 80.9% |
| TV | 123 | 10.5% |
| Internet | 87 | 7.4% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
947 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 744 | 78.6% |
| Billing | 76 | 8.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 37 | 3.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 24 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 21 | 2.2% |
| Equipment | 18 | 1.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Rural Call Completion | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Junk Faxes.
TV complaints
123 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 57 | 46.3% |
| Availability | 19 | 15.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 14 | 11.4% |
| Indecency | 13 | 10.6% |
| Equipment | 10 | 8.1% |
| Privacy | 6 | 4.9% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 36.8% |
| Availability | 20 | 23.0% |
| Speed | 14 | 16.1% |
| Interference | 8 | 9.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 5.7% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 4.6% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
Unwanted calls
A total of 744 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 63.6% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (844) 369-3861 | 6 | 0.8% |
| (425) 553-2176 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (848) 217-4120 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (202) 280-7823 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 506-8128 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (206) 438-9427 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (206) 866-0882 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (267) 908-6576 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (303) 747-4606 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (360) 637-6418 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (844) 369-3861 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.