FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 October 2018
Introduction
On 18 October 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1286 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1226 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 53 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 900 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1286
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (900)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (142)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1286 complaints were recorded on 18 October 2018, with reports originating from 799 cities in 53 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Oklahoma, where Altus accounted for 19 of the 30 complaints recorded in the state.
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 | 142 | 11.0% |
| Texas | 130 | 10.1% |
| Florida | 96 | 7.5% |
| New York | 67 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 54 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 50 | 3.9% |
| Illinois | 46 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 45 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 42 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 41 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 558 | 43.4% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Oklahoma originated from Altus, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1078 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1078 | 83.8% |
| TV | 94 | 7.3% |
| Internet | 92 | 7.2% |
| Radio | 18 | 1.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1078 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 900 | 83.5% |
| Billing | 55 | 5.1% |
| Equipment | 36 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 30 | 2.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 17 | 1.6% |
| Privacy | 13 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 0.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Rural Call Completion | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 36.2% |
| Indecency | 27 | 28.7% |
| Availability | 15 | 16.0% |
| Interference | 6 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.3% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.2% |
Billing and Indecency were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 25 | 27.2% |
| Billing | 24 | 26.1% |
| Speed | 17 | 18.5% |
| Privacy | 11 | 12.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 8.7% |
| Interference | 7 | 7.6% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Billing and Speed.
Unwanted calls
There were 900 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 70% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (415) 200-1184 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (415) 200-1204 | 7 | 0.8% |
| (415) 200-0045 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (202) 563-5418 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (415) 200-0971 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (310) 929-1759 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (323) 853-5044 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (408) 217-1946 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (408) 353-4806 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (415) 200-0680 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (734) 335-8596 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (415) 200-1184 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (415) 200-1204 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (202) 563-5418 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (866) 395-0544 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (201) 299-4314 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (205) 632-2610 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (239) 347-9160 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (334) 212-0087 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (734) 335-8596 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.