FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 February 2018
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 283 consumer complaints on Sunday, 18 February 2018 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 462 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 42 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 124 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 283
- States & territories reporting
- 42
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (124)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (33)
Where the complaints came from
On 18 February 2018, the 283 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 227 cities across 42 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. 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 | 33 | 11.7% |
| Florida | 20 | 7.1% |
| Illinois | 18 | 6.4% |
| Kentucky | 18 | 6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 17 | 6.0% |
| Texas | 16 | 5.7% |
| New York | 15 | 5.3% |
| Washington | 11 | 3.9% |
| Massachusetts | 10 | 3.5% |
| Alabama | 9 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 116 | 41.0% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 177 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 177 | 62.5% |
| TV | 58 | 20.5% |
| Internet | 38 | 13.4% |
| Radio | 7 | 2.5% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.7% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
177 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 124 | 70.1% |
| Billing | 19 | 10.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 11 | 6.2% |
| Equipment | 7 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 6 | 3.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 1.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 0.6% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.6% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
58 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 20.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 14 | 24.1% |
| Equipment | 11 | 19.0% |
| Indecency | 10 | 17.2% |
| Availability | 9 | 15.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 8.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 8.6% |
| Privacy | 4 | 6.9% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Indecency.
Internet complaints
38 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 10 | 26.3% |
| Billing | 10 | 26.3% |
| Interference | 6 | 15.8% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 5 | 13.2% |
| Speed | 4 | 10.5% |
| Equipment | 2 | 5.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.6% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Billing and Interference.
Unwanted calls
124 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 43.8% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (425) 921-1560 | 6 | 4.8% |
| (815) 621-2226 | 3 | 2.4% |
| (320) 345-3358 | 2 | 1.6% |
| (585) 582-5974 | 2 | 1.6% |
| (661) 249-4214 | 2 | 1.6% |
| (704) 972-3280 | 2 | 1.6% |
| (202) 335-9400 | 1 | 0.8% |
| (202) 664-8621 | 1 | 0.8% |
| (202) 795-2223 | 1 | 0.8% |
| (202) 900-8125 | 1 | 0.8% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (425) 921-1560 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.