FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 May 2018
Introduction
On Wednesday, 16 May 2018, 1454 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 1377 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 992 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1454
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (992)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (181)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1454 complaints were recorded on 16 May 2018, with reports originating from 906 cities in 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 181 | 12.4% |
| Florida | 131 | 9.0% |
| Texas | 125 | 8.6% |
| New York | 101 | 6.9% |
| Illinois | 81 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 60 | 4.1% |
| Virginia | 56 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 49 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 42 | 2.9% |
| Arizona | 40 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 582 | 40.0% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 109 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1189 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1189 | 81.8% |
| Internet | 111 | 7.6% |
| TV | 97 | 6.7% |
| Radio | 53 | 3.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1189 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 992 | 83.4% |
| Billing | 73 | 6.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 32 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 26 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 22 | 1.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 18 | 1.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
111 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 36 | 32.4% |
| Speed | 26 | 23.4% |
| Availability | 22 | 19.8% |
| Privacy | 10 | 9.0% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.3% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 3 | 2.7% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Speed and Availability among the most common.
TV complaints
97 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 45 | 46.4% |
| Availability | 19 | 19.6% |
| Equipment | 10 | 10.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 9.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 8.2% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.1% |
| Open Internet/Net Neutrality | 1 | 1.0% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
53 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 42 | 79.2% |
| Interference | 5 | 9.4% |
| Pirate Radio | 3 | 5.7% |
| Availability | 2 | 3.8% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.9% |
Indecency and Interference accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 992 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 68.2% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (217) 450-9605 | 15 | 1.5% |
| (518) 615-7971 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (516) 226-7211 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (516) 442-9811 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (518) 772-0014 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (646) 355-3103 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (770) 926-9921 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (805) 637-7243 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (903) 996-0064 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (917) 382-7107 | 3 | 0.3% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (217) 450-9605 | 15 | 1.5% |
| (518) 615-7971 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (646) 355-3103 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (855) 777-0312 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (202) 860-3406 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (516) 442-9811 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (516) 462-9489 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (518) 772-0014 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (646) 270-6709 | 3 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (217) 450-9605 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- (217) 450-9605 stood out as 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.