FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 November 2017
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 436 consumer complaints on Saturday, 18 November 2017 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1021 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 46 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 230 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 436
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (230)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (49)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 436 complaints were recorded on 18 November 2017, with reports originating from 340 cities in 46 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 49 | 11.2% |
| Florida | 30 | 6.9% |
| Texas | 28 | 6.4% |
| New York | 27 | 6.2% |
| Maryland | 19 | 4.4% |
| Michigan | 18 | 4.1% |
| Ohio | 17 | 3.9% |
| Oregon | 17 | 3.9% |
| Colorado | 16 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 16 | 3.7% |
| Other states and territories | 199 | 45.6% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 39 different cities.
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 286 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 286 | 65.6% |
| TV | 76 | 17.4% |
| Internet | 59 | 13.5% |
| Radio | 14 | 3.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
286 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 230 | 80.4% |
| Billing | 22 | 7.7% |
| Equipment | 14 | 4.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 7 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 5 | 1.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 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. 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
76 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 42 | 55.3% |
| Availability | 16 | 21.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 9.2% |
| Indecency | 6 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.3% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
59 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 15 | 25.4% |
| Billing | 13 | 22.0% |
| Availability | 9 | 15.3% |
| Privacy | 7 | 11.9% |
| Interference | 6 | 10.2% |
| Equipment | 5 | 8.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 6.8% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Speed, Billing and Availability among the most common.
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.