FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 October 2017
Introduction
On Saturday, 14 October 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 442 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1079 complaints the previous day. Submissions were made from 48 states and territories, with California accounting for the highest number of complaints at 70. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 259 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 442
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (259)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (70)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 14 October 2017 show 442 complaints originating from 348 cities across 48 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 70 | 15.8% |
| Florida | 30 | 6.8% |
| Texas | 28 | 6.3% |
| Colorado | 22 | 5.0% |
| New York | 21 | 4.8% |
| New Jersey | 17 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 16 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 15 | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 14 | 3.2% |
| Iowa | 13 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 196 | 44.3% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 327 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 327 | 74.0% |
| TV | 54 | 12.2% |
| Internet | 49 | 11.1% |
| Radio | 6 | 1.4% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
327 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 259 | 79.2% |
| Billing | 27 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 13 | 4.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 10 | 3.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 2.1% |
| Privacy | 7 | 2.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 1 | 0.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.3% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
TV complaints
54 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 50.0% |
| Availability | 7 | 13.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 11.1% |
| Indecency | 5 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5.6% |
| Interference | 3 | 5.6% |
| Privacy | 2 | 3.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.9% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
49 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 21 | 42.9% |
| Availability | 8 | 16.3% |
| Speed | 7 | 14.3% |
| Interference | 4 | 8.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.1% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.1% |
Billing accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.