FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 November 2017
Introduction
On 4 November 2017, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 412 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 991 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 48 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 227 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 412
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (227)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (52)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 4 November 2017 show 412 complaints originating from 320 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. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 52 | 12.6% |
| New York | 35 | 8.5% |
| Florida | 33 | 8.0% |
| Ohio | 26 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 26 | 6.3% |
| Virginia | 23 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 13 | 3.2% |
| Illinois | 13 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | 13 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 162 | 39.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 296 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 296 | 71.8% |
| TV | 61 | 14.8% |
| Internet | 49 | 11.9% |
| Radio | 3 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
296 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 227 | 76.7% |
| Billing | 20 | 6.8% |
| Equipment | 17 | 5.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 11 | 3.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 1.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.3% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
61 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 36.1% |
| Availability | 14 | 23.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 18.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 13.1% |
| Interference | 3 | 4.9% |
| Indecency | 2 | 3.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.6% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Loud Commercials.
Internet complaints
49 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 14 | 28.6% |
| Speed | 14 | 28.6% |
| Availability | 10 | 20.4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.1% |
| Interference | 3 | 6.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 6.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 4.1% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
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.