FCC Consumer Complaints – January 2018
Introduction
In January 2018, 28809 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 24081 complaints recorded the previous month. Complaints were reported across 55 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 16249 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 28809
- Days with complaint data
- 31
- Days with complaints
- 31
- States & territories reporting
- 55
- Government shutdown days
- 3
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (16249)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3251)
Daily complaint activity
Daily complaint volumes varied during the month, with 3 days falling within a government shutdown period. The average was 929.3 complaints per day, while the highest daily total was 1365 complaints on 17 January 2018. 21 days recorded more complaints than the monthly daily average.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
A total of 28809 complaints were recorded in January 2018, with reports originating from 6082 cities in 55 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in District of Columbia, where Washington accounted for 90 of the 103 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory during the month, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3251 | 11.3% |
| New York | 2556 | 8.9% |
| Florida | 2293 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 2037 | 7.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 1256 | 4.4% |
| Ohio | 1065 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 1021 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 895 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 886 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 872 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 12559 | 43.6% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in District of Columbia originated from Washington, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded during the month. Phone was the most reported category, with 20987 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 20987 | 72.8% |
| Internet | 3772 | 13.1% |
| TV | 3482 | 12.1% |
| Radio | 455 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 52 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 39 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 22 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
20987 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 72.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 16249 | 77.4% |
| Billing | 1952 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 585 | 2.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 581 | 2.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 416 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 374 | 1.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 357 | 1.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 245 | 1.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 159 | 0.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 28 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 21 | 0.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 20 | 0.1% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
3772 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 13.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 1171 | 31.0% |
| Billing | 901 | 23.9% |
| Availability | 601 | 15.9% |
| Speed | 550 | 14.6% |
| Privacy | 193 | 5.1% |
| Interference | 190 | 5.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 166 | 4.4% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Equipment, Billing and Availability.
TV complaints
3482 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 1422 | 40.8% |
| Indecency | 640 | 18.4% |
| Availability | 608 | 17.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 381 | 10.9% |
| Equipment | 264 | 7.6% |
| Interference | 122 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 32 | 0.9% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 13 | 0.4% |
Billing represented the largest share of complaints recorded in this category, with lower volumes reported across the remaining issues.
Radio complaints
455 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 1.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 140 | 30.8% |
| Indecency | 119 | 26.2% |
| Pirate Radio | 95 | 20.9% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 32 | 7.0% |
| Equipment | 29 | 6.4% |
| Availability | 27 | 5.9% |
| Billing | 13 | 2.9% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Interference, Indecency and Pirate Radio.
Emergency complaints
52 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 16 | 30.8% |
| Other | 16 | 30.8% |
| Tower | 11 | 21.2% |
| Phone | 9 | 17.3% |
Interference and Other were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Accessibility complaints
39 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Captioning on TV | 16 | 41.0% |
| Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) | 10 | 25.6% |
| Closed Captioning over the Internet | 6 | 15.4% |
| Emergency Information on TV | 2 | 5.1% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireline Phones | 1 | 2.6% |
Closed Captioning on TV and Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 16249 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 56.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (425) 412-2539 | 39 | 0.2% |
| (888) 343-2156 | 28 | 0.2% |
| (254) 267-3474 | 23 | 0.1% |
| (315) 689-3291 | 23 | 0.1% |
| (854) 999-4407 | 20 | 0.1% |
| (651) 762-3478 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (916) 526-1454 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (972) 464-1936 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (201) 227-9431 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (319) 250-2004 | 16 | 0.1% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 75 | 0.5% |
| (888) 343-2156 | 28 | 0.2% |
| (254) 267-3474 | 22 | 0.1% |
| (833) 225-9738 | 21 | 0.1% |
| (854) 999-4407 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (855) 579-1275 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (216) 672-3784 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (855) 625-7705 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (916) 526-1454 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (855) 767-7288 | 14 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- (425) 412-2539 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.