FCC Consumer Complaints – 22 February 2018
Introduction
A total of 1388 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 22 February 2018, complaint volume fell from 1436 complaints 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 1008 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1388
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (1008)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (162)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 22 February 2018 show 1388 complaints originating from 870 cities across 53 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 162 | 11.7% |
| Florida | 114 | 8.2% |
| Texas | 112 | 8.1% |
| New York | 81 | 5.8% |
| Ohio | 52 | 3.7% |
| New Jersey | 50 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 50 | 3.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 3.5% |
| Colorado | 47 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | 47 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 622 | 44.8% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 104 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 1170 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1170 | 84.3% |
| Internet | 96 | 6.9% |
| TV | 94 | 6.8% |
| Radio | 24 | 1.7% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1170 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 84.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 1008 | 86.2% |
| Billing | 65 | 5.6% |
| Privacy | 27 | 2.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 25 | 2.1% |
| Equipment | 16 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 4 | 0.3% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Privacy and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
96 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 33.3% |
| Availability | 22 | 22.9% |
| Speed | 11 | 11.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 10 | 10.4% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 7.3% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.3% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 52 | 55.3% |
| Availability | 13 | 13.8% |
| Equipment | 8 | 8.5% |
| Indecency | 8 | 8.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.3% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.2% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
1008 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 72.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (833) 280-1095 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (903) 340-5457 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (630) 789-1028 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (747) 212-5912 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (786) 378-6156 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (872) 588-4109 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (202) 996-9522 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (206) 231-0021 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (225) 335-5490 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Several business contact numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
- 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.