FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 March 2018
Introduction
On Wednesday, 28 March 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1310 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1237 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 53 states and territories, with Texas reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 895 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1310
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (895)
- Most reported state/territory
- Texas (129)
Where the complaints came from
On 28 March 2018, the 1310 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 872 cities across 53 states and territories. Complaints were spread broadly across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a significant 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 129 | 9.8% |
| Florida | 114 | 8.7% |
| California | 108 | 8.2% |
| New York | 55 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 50 | 3.8% |
| Ohio | 48 | 3.7% |
| Michigan | 47 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 44 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 44 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 617 | 47.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1081 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1081 | 82.5% |
| TV | 115 | 8.8% |
| Internet | 95 | 7.3% |
| Radio | 12 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1081 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 82.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 895 | 82.8% |
| Billing | 68 | 6.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 27 | 2.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 21 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 21 | 1.9% |
| Equipment | 16 | 1.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 4 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Rural Call Completion | 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Junk Faxes among the most common.
TV complaints
115 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 52 | 45.2% |
| Availability | 24 | 20.9% |
| Equipment | 13 | 11.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 9.6% |
| Indecency | 6 | 5.2% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.2% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 29.5% |
| Availability | 26 | 27.4% |
| Speed | 12 | 12.6% |
| Privacy | 9 | 9.5% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.4% |
| Equipment | 7 | 7.4% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 5 | 5.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
Unwanted calls
895 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 68.3% 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 | 6 | 0.7% |
| (830) 522-8913 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (833) 368-9297 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (512) 517-4232 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (651) 762-3474 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (720) 414-3329 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (737) 701-7881 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (909) 746-8036 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (202) 871-4234 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (203) 734-7890 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- 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.