FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 August 2018
Introduction
On Friday, 3 August 2018, 1196 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1234 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 816 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1196
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (816)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (126)
Where the complaints came from
Across 764 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1196 complaints were recorded on 3 August 2018. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. 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 | 126 | 10.5% |
| Texas | 88 | 7.4% |
| New York | 73 | 6.1% |
| Florida | 68 | 5.7% |
| Virginia | 60 | 5.0% |
| Ohio | 49 | 4.1% |
| Michigan | 47 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 40 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 39 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 544 | 45.5% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 80 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 969 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 969 | 81.0% |
| TV | 109 | 9.1% |
| Internet | 103 | 8.6% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
969 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 816 | 84.2% |
| Billing | 66 | 6.8% |
| Equipment | 29 | 3.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 21 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 10 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.2% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 54 | 49.5% |
| Availability | 27 | 24.8% |
| Equipment | 13 | 11.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 4.6% |
| Indecency | 4 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 33.0% |
| Availability | 32 | 31.1% |
| Speed | 15 | 14.6% |
| Interference | 9 | 8.7% |
| Privacy | 9 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 4 | 3.9% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
A total of 816 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 68.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (562) 358-3585 | 8 | 1.0% |
| (623) 537-1600 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (914) 410-8183 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (623) 537-1594 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (646) 682-0915 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (281) 670-1572 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (305) 397-3831 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (360) 772-9721 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (410) 403-0962 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (512) 954-9337 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (562) 358-3585 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (518) 835-8916 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (623) 537-1594 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (646) 682-0915 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (914) 410-8183 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (201) 942-1980 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (281) 670-1572 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (346) 600-8827 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (410) 403-0962 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (562) 358-3585 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (562) 358-3585 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.