FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 December 2017
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 532 consumer complaints on 16 December 2017 relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1529 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 232 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 532
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (232)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (53)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 532 complaints were recorded on 16 December 2017, with reports originating from 394 cities in 49 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable proportion of the total. 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 | 53 | 10.0% |
| Texas | 43 | 8.1% |
| Florida | 42 | 7.9% |
| New York | 39 | 7.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 30 | 5.6% |
| Colorado | 25 | 4.7% |
| Ohio | 22 | 4.1% |
| North Carolina | 20 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 19 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 19 | 3.6% |
| Other states and territories | 220 | 41.4% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 299 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 299 | 56.2% |
| Internet | 173 | 32.5% |
| TV | 50 | 9.4% |
| Radio | 7 | 1.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
299 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 56.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 232 | 77.6% |
| Billing | 30 | 10.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 4.0% |
| Equipment | 10 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 0.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
173 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 32.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 109 | 63.0% |
| Speed | 15 | 8.7% |
| Billing | 14 | 8.1% |
| Availability | 13 | 7.5% |
| Interference | 12 | 6.9% |
| Equipment | 5 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 5 | 2.9% |
Open Internet/Net Neutrality and Speed accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 24 | 48.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 16.0% |
| Availability | 7 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 5 | 10.0% |
| Indecency | 2 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.0% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 2.0% |
Billing and Loud Commercials accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.