FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 February 2018
Introduction
On Saturday, 17 February 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 462 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1218 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 46 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 262 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 462
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (262)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (62)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 17 February 2018 show 462 complaints originating from 350 cities across 46 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 | 62 | 13.4% |
| Texas | 40 | 8.7% |
| Florida | 33 | 7.1% |
| New York | 32 | 6.9% |
| Virginia | 20 | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 19 | 4.1% |
| Michigan | 19 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 4.1% |
| New Jersey | 17 | 3.7% |
| Tennessee | 16 | 3.5% |
| Other states and territories | 185 | 40.0% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 336 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 336 | 72.7% |
| TV | 65 | 14.1% |
| Internet | 55 | 11.9% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.9% |
| Radio | 2 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
336 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 262 | 78.0% |
| Billing | 23 | 6.8% |
| Equipment | 18 | 5.4% |
| Privacy | 11 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 7 | 2.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 1.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 0.9% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Privacy among the most common.
TV complaints
65 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 31 | 47.7% |
| Availability | 11 | 16.9% |
| Equipment | 9 | 13.8% |
| Indecency | 7 | 10.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 9.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.5% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
55 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 23 | 41.8% |
| Availability | 14 | 25.5% |
| Speed | 8 | 14.5% |
| Interference | 4 | 7.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 5.5% |
| Privacy | 2 | 3.6% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.8% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
262 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 56.7% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (888) 814-3555 | 6 | 2.3% |
| (202) 697-7521 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (651) 762-3474 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (724) 382-3289 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (724) 835-2013 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (727) 637-9287 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (201) 267-3812 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (201) 474-7851 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (202) 330-2438 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (202) 800-8263 | 1 | 0.4% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (888) 814-3555 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- 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.