FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 February 2018
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1372 consumer complaints on Wednesday, 28 February 2018 relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1269 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 969 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1372
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (969)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (148)
Where the complaints came from
The 1372 complaints recorded on 28 February 2018 originated from 862 cities across 51 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 148 | 10.8% |
| Florida | 129 | 9.4% |
| Texas | 99 | 7.2% |
| New York | 67 | 4.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 59 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 53 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 48 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 48 | 3.5% |
| Illinois | 45 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 42 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 632 | 46.1% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 101 different cities.
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 1159 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1159 | 84.5% |
| TV | 109 | 7.9% |
| Internet | 87 | 6.3% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1159 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 84.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 969 | 83.6% |
| Billing | 76 | 6.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 34 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 22 | 1.9% |
| Equipment | 16 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 11 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 5 | 0.4% |
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 Privacy.
TV complaints
109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 34.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 33 | 30.3% |
| Availability | 19 | 17.4% |
| Equipment | 9 | 8.3% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.6% |
| Indecency | 4 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Loud Commercials accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 37 | 42.5% |
| Availability | 16 | 18.4% |
| Equipment | 11 | 12.6% |
| Speed | 7 | 8.0% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.7% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 5 | 5.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.