FCC Consumer Complaints – 26 September 2018
Introduction
On 26 September 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1399 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1389 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 951 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1399
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (951)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (167)
Where the complaints came from
Across 874 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1399 complaints were recorded on 26 September 2018. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 167 | 11.9% |
| Texas | 127 | 9.1% |
| Florida | 94 | 6.7% |
| New York | 85 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 62 | 4.4% |
| Illinois | 60 | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 55 | 3.9% |
| Maryland | 48 | 3.4% |
| Virginia | 47 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 44 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 609 | 43.5% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 98 different cities.
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 1146 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1146 | 81.9% |
| TV | 129 | 9.2% |
| Internet | 105 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 18 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1146 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 951 | 83.0% |
| Billing | 66 | 5.8% |
| Equipment | 35 | 3.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 34 | 3.0% |
| Privacy | 22 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.2% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
TV complaints
129 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 60 | 46.5% |
| Availability | 21 | 16.3% |
| Indecency | 20 | 15.5% |
| Equipment | 13 | 10.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 6.2% |
| Interference | 5 | 3.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
105 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 36.2% |
| Availability | 22 | 21.0% |
| Interference | 14 | 13.3% |
| Speed | 13 | 12.4% |
| Privacy | 12 | 11.4% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.7% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Interference among the most common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 951 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 68% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (201) 215-5749 | 13 | 1.4% |
| (201) 215-5804 | 13 | 1.4% |
| (201) 215-5715 | 11 | 1.2% |
| (201) 215-5729 | 7 | 0.7% |
| (864) 754-7834 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (201) 215-5746 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (201) 215-5819 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (800) 847-2911 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (360) 208-8549 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (717) 722-0489 | 3 | 0.3% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (817) 767-0911 | 10 | 1.1% |
| (201) 215-5804 | 8 | 0.8% |
| (864) 754-7834 | 6 | 0.6% |
| (201) 215-5715 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (201) 215-5729 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (201) 215-5746 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (201) 215-5819 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (800) 847-2911 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (201) 215-5686 | 3 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by call type.
- (817) 767-0911 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Several caller ID numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
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.