FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 May 2018
Introduction
On 12 May 2018, 430 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1436 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 46 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 261 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 430
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (261)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (60)
Where the complaints came from
On 12 May 2018, the 430 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 333 cities across 46 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location 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 | 60 | 14.0% |
| Florida | 42 | 9.8% |
| Texas | 35 | 8.1% |
| New York | 28 | 6.5% |
| North Carolina | 19 | 4.4% |
| Arizona | 15 | 3.5% |
| Michigan | 14 | 3.3% |
| New Jersey | 13 | 3.0% |
| Connecticut | 12 | 2.8% |
| Georgia | 12 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 180 | 41.9% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 314 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 314 | 73.0% |
| TV | 55 | 12.8% |
| Internet | 50 | 11.6% |
| Radio | 9 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
314 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 261 | 83.1% |
| Billing | 20 | 6.4% |
| Privacy | 9 | 2.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 7 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 2.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Equipment | 2 | 0.6% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.3% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 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).
TV complaints
55 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 17 | 30.9% |
| Indecency | 15 | 27.3% |
| Availability | 11 | 20.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 9.1% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 5.5% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Indecency and Availability.
Internet complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 17 | 34.0% |
| Availability | 13 | 26.0% |
| Speed | 9 | 18.0% |
| Equipment | 4 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 4 | 8.0% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.0% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 2.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.