FCC Consumer Complaints – 7 December 2017
Introduction
A total of 963 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 7 December 2017, complaint volume fell from 1011 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 622 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 963
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (622)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (108)
Where the complaints came from
Across 653 cities in 52 states and territories, a total of 963 complaints were recorded on 7 December 2017. 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 108 | 11.2% |
| Florida | 71 | 7.4% |
| Texas | 54 | 5.6% |
| Ohio | 51 | 5.3% |
| New York | 49 | 5.1% |
| Massachusetts | 46 | 4.8% |
| Illinois | 44 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 36 | 3.7% |
| Maryland | 33 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 31 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 439 | 45.6% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 777 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 777 | 80.7% |
| Internet | 89 | 9.2% |
| TV | 75 | 7.8% |
| Radio | 20 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
777 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 622 | 80.1% |
| Billing | 59 | 7.6% |
| Equipment | 24 | 3.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 2.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 17 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.3% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
Internet complaints
89 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 36.0% |
| Speed | 14 | 15.7% |
| Interference | 11 | 12.4% |
| Availability | 10 | 11.2% |
| Equipment | 10 | 11.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.7% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Interference among the most common.
TV complaints
75 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 50.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 16.0% |
| Equipment | 7 | 9.3% |
| Indecency | 7 | 9.3% |
| Availability | 6 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.7% |
Billing and Loud Commercials were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 622 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 64.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (516) 203-7003 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (410) 536-4205 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (412) 430-3876 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (571) 921-4847 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (605) 413-1500 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (240) 449-4858 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (260) 483-1083 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (301) 219-5084 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (325) 267-3523 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (347) 892-4950 | 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.
- (516) 203-7003 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.