FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 November 2017
Introduction
On 14 November 2017, 1042 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 1063 complaints the previous day. Complaints were reported across 53 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 653 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1042
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (653)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (119)
Where the complaints came from
The 1042 complaints recorded on 14 November 2017 were submitted from 742 cities across 53 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 shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 119 | 11.4% |
| Florida | 90 | 8.6% |
| Texas | 62 | 6.0% |
| New York | 54 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 46 | 4.4% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.9% |
| New Jersey | 38 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 31 | 3.0% |
| North Carolina | 30 | 2.9% |
| Ohio | 30 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 498 | 47.8% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 91 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 838 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 838 | 80.4% |
| TV | 104 | 10.0% |
| Internet | 81 | 7.8% |
| Radio | 17 | 1.6% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
838 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 653 | 77.9% |
| Billing | 71 | 8.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 25 | 3.0% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 22 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 18 | 2.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 11 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
TV complaints
104 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 64 | 61.5% |
| Availability | 21 | 20.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 5.8% |
| Indecency | 3 | 2.9% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
81 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 34.6% |
| Availability | 21 | 25.9% |
| Speed | 12 | 14.8% |
| Equipment | 6 | 7.4% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 6.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 4.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 653 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 62.7% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (514) 698-5474 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (845) 215-6980 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (855) 303-5660 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (855) 657-6718 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (860) 910-6763 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (206) 829-4809 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (214) 451-3192 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (313) 356-8046 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (321) 204-6543 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (344) 353-6488 | 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.
- (514) 698-5474 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.