FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 February 2018
Introduction
On Monday, 5 February 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 947 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 266 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 551 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 947
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (551)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (117)
Where the complaints came from
The 947 complaints recorded on 5 February 2018 originated from 661 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 117 | 12.4% |
| Florida | 69 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 67 | 7.1% |
| New York | 58 | 6.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 51 | 5.4% |
| Ohio | 42 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 37 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 29 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 29 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 414 | 43.7% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 732 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 732 | 77.3% |
| TV | 123 | 13.0% |
| Internet | 70 | 7.4% |
| Radio | 17 | 1.8% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.5% |
Phone complaints
732 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 551 | 75.3% |
| Billing | 79 | 10.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 25 | 3.4% |
| Equipment | 23 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 16 | 2.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 13 | 1.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
123 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 31.7% |
| Availability | 25 | 20.3% |
| Indecency | 18 | 14.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 18 | 14.6% |
| Equipment | 13 | 10.6% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 1.6% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Indecency.
Internet complaints
70 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 26 | 37.1% |
| Availability | 15 | 21.4% |
| Speed | 14 | 20.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 7.1% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 4.3% |
| Privacy | 3 | 4.3% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
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.