FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 May 2018
Introduction
On Friday, 4 May 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1178 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1287 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 810 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1178
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (810)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (155)
Where the complaints came from
Across 776 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1178 complaints were recorded on 4 May 2018. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location 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 | 155 | 13.2% |
| Texas | 94 | 8.0% |
| Florida | 86 | 7.3% |
| Illinois | 62 | 5.3% |
| Washington | 56 | 4.8% |
| New York | 55 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 52 | 4.4% |
| Ohio | 42 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 36 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 487 | 41.3% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 983 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 983 | 83.4% |
| TV | 83 | 7.0% |
| Internet | 75 | 6.4% |
| Radio | 35 | 3.0% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
983 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 810 | 82.4% |
| Billing | 59 | 6.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 41 | 4.2% |
| Equipment | 24 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 19 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
83 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 33.7% |
| Availability | 19 | 22.9% |
| Equipment | 12 | 14.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 13.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 9.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.8% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Equipment.
Internet complaints
75 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 20 | 26.7% |
| Availability | 14 | 18.7% |
| Speed | 13 | 17.3% |
| Interference | 10 | 13.3% |
| Privacy | 10 | 13.3% |
| Equipment | 8 | 10.7% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
Radio complaints
35 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 30 | 85.7% |
| Pirate Radio | 3 | 8.6% |
| Interference | 2 | 5.7% |
Indecency and Pirate Radio were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 810 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 68.8% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (754) 240-0126 | 13 | 1.6% |
| (510) 399-4442 | 7 | 0.9% |
| (631) 963-2401 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (561) 257-0373 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (708) 646-2412 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (734) 837-8843 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (929) 800-4194 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (205) 239-2790 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (301) 287-4316 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (301) 298-1634 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (754) 240-0126 | 19 | 2.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 10 | 1.2% |
| (443) 294-8011 | 8 | 1.0% |
| (336) 436-9730 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (708) 646-2412 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (800) 269-7816 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (844) 530-4930 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (914) 412-2734 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (205) 239-2790 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (216) 290-0233 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by call type.
- (754) 240-0126 stood out as both the most frequently reported business contact number and 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.