FCC Consumer Complaints – 30 August 2018
Introduction
On 30 August 2018, 1284 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 1225 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 912 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1284
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (912)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (161)
Where the complaints came from
On 30 August 2018, the 1284 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 823 cities across 51 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | 161 | 12.5% |
| Texas | 116 | 9.0% |
| Florida | 92 | 7.2% |
| New York | 71 | 5.5% |
| Illinois | 51 | 4.0% |
| Ohio | 48 | 3.7% |
| New Jersey | 45 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 42 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 40 | 3.1% |
| North Carolina | 39 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 574 | 44.7% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 1068 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1068 | 83.2% |
| Internet | 108 | 8.4% |
| TV | 86 | 6.7% |
| Radio | 20 | 1.6% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1068 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 912 | 85.4% |
| Billing | 60 | 5.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 23 | 2.2% |
| Equipment | 20 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 12 | 1.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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
108 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 40 | 37.0% |
| Availability | 30 | 27.8% |
| Speed | 17 | 15.7% |
| Interference | 9 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.5% |
| Privacy | 5 | 4.6% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 50.0% |
| Availability | 13 | 15.1% |
| Indecency | 12 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 9 | 10.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.