FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 December 2017
Introduction
A total of 917 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 5 December 2017, this was higher than the 830 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 558 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 917
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (558)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (101)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 5 December 2017 show 917 complaints originating from 648 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. 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 | 101 | 11.0% |
| Texas | 72 | 7.9% |
| Florida | 68 | 7.4% |
| New York | 61 | 6.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 4.9% |
| Virginia | 32 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 31 | 3.4% |
| Washington | 31 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 30 | 3.3% |
| Ohio | 30 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 414 | 45.1% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 69 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 725 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 725 | 79.1% |
| Internet | 95 | 10.4% |
| TV | 88 | 9.6% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.5% |
| Radio | 4 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
725 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 558 | 77.0% |
| Billing | 76 | 10.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 2.8% |
| Equipment | 20 | 2.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 1.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 1.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 36 | 37.9% |
| Speed | 18 | 18.9% |
| Availability | 13 | 13.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 9 | 9.5% |
| Equipment | 8 | 8.4% |
| Interference | 6 | 6.3% |
| Privacy | 5 | 5.3% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
TV complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 54.5% |
| Availability | 14 | 15.9% |
| Equipment | 12 | 13.6% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.7% |
| Indecency | 3 | 3.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.4% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less 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.