FCC Consumer Complaints – 2 April 2018

Introduction

On Monday, 2 April 2018, 1829 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 230 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints relating to Unwanted Calls were marginally higher than for other issue types.

Key statistics

Total complaints
1829
States & territories reporting
52
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (625)
Most reported state/territory
California (220)

Where the complaints came from

The 1829 complaints recorded on 2 April 2018 originated from 1077 cities across 52 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 summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.

State/Territory Complaints
California 220 12.0%
Florida 144 7.9%
Texas 117 6.4%
New York 111 6.1%
Illinois 77 4.2%
Pennsylvania 75 4.1%
Michigan 65 3.6%
Ohio 65 3.6%
Washington 59 3.2%
Massachusetts 56 3.1%
Other states and territories 838 45.8%

What the complaints were about

A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 882 complaints. This was followed by Internet, which accounted for 718 complaints.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 882 48.2%
Internet 718 39.3%
TV 211 11.5%
Radio 15 0.8%
Accessibility 2 0.1%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

882 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 48.2% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 625 70.9%
Billing 126 14.3%
Availability (including rural call completion) 35 4.0%
Equipment 30 3.4%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 22 2.5%
Privacy 18 2.0%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 14 1.6%
Interference (including signal jammers) 8 0.9%
Junk Faxes 3 0.3%
Open Internet/Net Neutrality 1 0.1%

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.

Internet complaints

718 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 39.3% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 328 45.7%
Speed 267 37.2%
Availability 57 7.9%
Equipment 27 3.8%
Interference 24 3.3%
Privacy 8 1.1%
Open Internet/Net Neutrality 7 1.0%

Billing and Speed were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

TV complaints

211 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.5% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 120 56.9%
Availability 31 14.7%
Loud Commercials 18 8.5%
Equipment 14 6.6%
Interference 13 6.2%
Indecency 10 4.7%
Privacy 3 1.4%
Open Internet/Net Neutrality 2 0.9%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Page last updated: 10 December 2018 with FCC complaints data from 2 April 2018.

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.