FCC Consumer Complaints – 29 October 2018
Introduction
On 29 October 2018, 1411 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 320 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 53 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 952 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1411
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (952)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (188)
Where the complaints came from
The 1411 complaints recorded on 29 October 2018 originated from 835 cities across 53 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Arkansas, where Fayetteville accounted for 26 of the 39 complaints recorded.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 188 | 13.3% |
| Florida | 110 | 7.8% |
| Texas | 88 | 6.2% |
| New York | 75 | 5.3% |
| New Jersey | 62 | 4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 55 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 52 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 50 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 48 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 43 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 632 | 44.8% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Arkansas originated from Fayetteville, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 1153 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1153 | 81.7% |
| TV | 105 | 7.4% |
| Internet | 93 | 6.6% |
| Radio | 54 | 3.8% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1153 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 952 | 82.6% |
| Billing | 92 | 8.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 30 | 2.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 1.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 11 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 9 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.5% |
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.
TV complaints
105 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 45.7% |
| Availability | 22 | 21.0% |
| Equipment | 16 | 15.2% |
| Indecency | 9 | 8.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 5.7% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.8% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
93 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 34.4% |
| Availability | 17 | 18.3% |
| Privacy | 17 | 18.3% |
| Speed | 14 | 15.1% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.6% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.4% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Privacy among the most common.
Radio complaints
54 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Commercials/Promotions | 37 | 68.5% |
| Interference | 8 | 14.8% |
| Pirate Radio | 5 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5.6% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.9% |
Commercials/Promotions and Interference were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
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.