FCC Consumer Complaints – 20 October 2018
Introduction
On Saturday, 20 October 2018, 428 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1174 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 45 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 256 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 428
- States & territories reporting
- 45
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (256)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (58)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 20 October 2018 show 428 complaints originating from 322 cities across 45 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 58 | 13.6% |
| Florida | 33 | 7.7% |
| Texas | 32 | 7.5% |
| New York | 23 | 5.4% |
| Louisiana | 18 | 4.2% |
| North Carolina | 18 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 17 | 4.0% |
| Ohio | 17 | 4.0% |
| Georgia | 15 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 15 | 3.5% |
| Other states and territories | 182 | 42.5% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 307 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 307 | 71.7% |
| Internet | 61 | 14.3% |
| TV | 52 | 12.1% |
| Radio | 6 | 1.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.5% |
Phone complaints
307 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 256 | 83.4% |
| Billing | 20 | 6.5% |
| Equipment | 9 | 2.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 8 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 5 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 1 | 0.3% |
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.
Internet complaints
61 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 16 | 26.2% |
| Privacy | 16 | 26.2% |
| Speed | 12 | 19.7% |
| Availability | 10 | 16.4% |
| Interference | 5 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Privacy and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
52 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 23 | 44.2% |
| Equipment | 9 | 17.3% |
| Availability | 8 | 15.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 15.4% |
| Indecency | 3 | 5.8% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.9% |
Billing and Equipment were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
256 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 59.8% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (408) 606-5775 | 5 | 2.0% |
| (415) 200-1288 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (760) 979-1281 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (779) 228-4318 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (201) 493-5997 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (205) 584-4532 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (209) 581-8264 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (213) 863-8694 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (214) 214-2020 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (234) 980-0426 | 1 | 0.4% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (408) 606-5775 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.