FCC Consumer Complaints – 24 January 2018
Introduction
A total of 1263 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, 24 January 2018, this represented an increase from the 1255 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 761 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1263
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (761)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (139)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 24 January 2018 show 1263 complaints originating from 834 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 139 | 11.0% |
| Florida | 105 | 8.3% |
| Texas | 94 | 7.4% |
| Ohio | 59 | 4.7% |
| New York | 58 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 58 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 49 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 46 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 45 | 3.6% |
| New Jersey | 45 | 3.6% |
| Other states and territories | 563 | 44.6% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 91 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 973 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 973 | 77.0% |
| TV | 150 | 11.9% |
| Internet | 114 | 9.0% |
| Radio | 20 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
973 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 761 | 78.2% |
| Billing | 85 | 8.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 21 | 2.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 2.1% |
| Equipment | 19 | 2.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 19 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 17 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 16 | 1.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.4% |
| 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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
150 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 70 | 46.7% |
| Availability | 45 | 30.0% |
| Equipment | 14 | 9.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 5.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 5.3% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 1.3% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
114 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 36.0% |
| Speed | 21 | 18.4% |
| Availability | 16 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 16 | 14.0% |
| Interference | 8 | 7.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 6 | 5.3% |
| Privacy | 6 | 5.3% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
Unwanted calls
There were 761 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 60.3% 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% |
| (210) 892-3504 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (331) 998-6074 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (201) 227-9431 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (201) 431-7492 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (210) 988-9943 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (470) 481-0482 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (608) 305-5279 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (661) 208-3939 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (661) 451-1043 | 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.