FCC Consumer Complaints – 10 January 2018
Introduction
A total of 1210 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 10 January 2018, complaint volume increased from 1144 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with New York reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 703 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1210
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (703)
- Most reported state/territory
- New York (164)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1210 complaints were recorded on 10 January 2018, with reports originating from 714 cities in 51 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in New York, where Lafayette accounted for 104 of the 164 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 164 | 13.6% |
| Florida | 108 | 8.9% |
| California | 107 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 88 | 7.3% |
| Georgia | 41 | 3.4% |
| Colorado | 38 | 3.1% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 38 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 37 | 3.1% |
| Arizona | 36 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 488 | 40.3% |
Location highlight
Lafayette accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in New York.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 886 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 886 | 73.2% |
| Internet | 193 | 16.0% |
| TV | 114 | 9.4% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.8% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
886 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 703 | 79.3% |
| Billing | 87 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 23 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 20 | 2.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 18 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Privacy among the most common.
Internet complaints
193 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 109 | 56.5% |
| Billing | 26 | 13.5% |
| Availability | 23 | 11.9% |
| Speed | 14 | 7.3% |
| Privacy | 10 | 5.2% |
| Interference | 7 | 3.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 2.1% |
Equipment and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
114 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 54 | 47.4% |
| Availability | 17 | 14.9% |
| Equipment | 14 | 12.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 10.5% |
| Indecency | 11 | 9.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.8% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 703 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 58.1% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 5 | 0.7% |
| (855) 579-1275 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (206) 486-7876 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (214) 604-1758 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (214) 604-4109 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (214) 604-8173 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (301) 478-0417 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (314) 328-5645 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (484) 281-1330 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (512) 377-9776 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.