FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 December 2017
Introduction
A total of 830 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 4 December 2017, this represented an increase from the 211 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 486 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 830
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (486)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (86)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 4 December 2017 show 830 complaints originating from 604 cities across 51 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 86 | 10.4% |
| Texas | 79 | 9.5% |
| Florida | 71 | 8.6% |
| New York | 44 | 5.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 4.9% |
| Ohio | 35 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 31 | 3.7% |
| Missouri | 31 | 3.7% |
| Colorado | 25 | 3.0% |
| New Jersey | 24 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 363 | 43.7% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 645 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 645 | 77.7% |
| Internet | 88 | 10.6% |
| TV | 86 | 10.4% |
| Radio | 9 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
645 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 486 | 75.3% |
| Billing | 85 | 13.2% |
| Equipment | 17 | 2.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 1.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 1.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.2% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 30.7% |
| Speed | 24 | 27.3% |
| Availability | 15 | 17.0% |
| Privacy | 11 | 12.5% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.7% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 2.3% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 50.0% |
| Availability | 16 | 18.6% |
| Equipment | 9 | 10.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 8.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 7.0% |
| Indecency | 4 | 4.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.