FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 January 2018
Introduction
On 17 January 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1365 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1301 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 53 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 855 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1365
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (855)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (160)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1365 complaints were recorded on 17 January 2018, with reports originating from 869 cities in 53 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 160 | 11.7% |
| Texas | 103 | 7.5% |
| Florida | 92 | 6.7% |
| New York | 88 | 6.4% |
| Virginia | 63 | 4.6% |
| Ohio | 61 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 61 | 4.5% |
| Michigan | 46 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | 44 | 3.2% |
| Georgia | 39 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 600 | 44.0% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 104 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 1087 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1087 | 79.6% |
| TV | 140 | 10.3% |
| Internet | 112 | 8.2% |
| Radio | 23 | 1.7% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1087 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 855 | 78.7% |
| Billing | 106 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 29 | 2.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 26 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 20 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 17 | 1.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 13 | 1.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
140 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 63 | 45.0% |
| Indecency | 33 | 23.6% |
| Availability | 23 | 16.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 5 | 3.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.7% |
Billing and Indecency were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
112 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 30 | 26.8% |
| Billing | 28 | 25.0% |
| Speed | 21 | 18.8% |
| Privacy | 10 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 9 | 8.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 5.4% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
Unwanted calls
A total of 855 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 62.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (315) 689-3291 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (714) 927-5949 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (972) 464-1936 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (216) 672-3784 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (817) 471-3073 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (800) 950-0341 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (813) 454-3497 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (855) 625-7705 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (208) 725-8226 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (302) 212-1328 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (714) 927-5949 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 6 | 0.7% |
| (855) 625-7705 | 6 | 0.7% |
| (972) 464-1936 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (216) 672-3784 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (302) 212-1328 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (502) 713-4669 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (800) 950-0341 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (817) 471-3073 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (833) 221-0238 | 3 | 0.4% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (714) 927-5949 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Several caller ID numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
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.