FCC Consumer Complaints – 30 October 2018
Introduction
A total of 1373 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 30 October 2018, this represented a decline from the 1411 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 964 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1373
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (964)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (141)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 30 October 2018 show 1373 complaints originating from 875 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 141 | 10.3% |
| Florida | 110 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 109 | 7.9% |
| New York | 88 | 6.4% |
| Ohio | 69 | 5.0% |
| New Jersey | 58 | 4.2% |
| North Carolina | 51 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 50 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 48 | 3.5% |
| Colorado | 45 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 603 | 43.9% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1148 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1148 | 83.6% |
| TV | 113 | 8.2% |
| Internet | 92 | 6.7% |
| Radio | 19 | 1.4% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1148 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 964 | 84.0% |
| Billing | 77 | 6.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 2.1% |
| Equipment | 23 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 14 | 1.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.7% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided 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
113 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 54 | 47.8% |
| Availability | 22 | 19.5% |
| Equipment | 12 | 10.6% |
| Indecency | 11 | 9.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 6.2% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 24 | 26.1% |
| Availability | 19 | 20.7% |
| Speed | 16 | 17.4% |
| Equipment | 15 | 16.3% |
| Interference | 10 | 10.9% |
| Privacy | 8 | 8.7% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 964 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 70.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (303) 818-7890 | 9 | 0.9% |
| (806) 391-2313 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (713) 331-9433 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (806) 391-1599 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (209) 307-7601 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (216) 727-7702 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (240) 999-1739 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (248) 907-9205 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (301) 219-6511 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (301) 658-2487 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by call type.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (303) 818-7890 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.