FCC Consumer Complaints – November 2018
Introduction
In November 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 28591 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 33085 complaints the month before. Complaints were reported across 55 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 19114 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 28591
- Days with complaint data
- 30
- Days with complaints
- 30
- States & territories reporting
- 55
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (19114)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3000)
Daily complaint activity
Across the month, the FCC recorded an average of 953 complaints per day. The highest daily total was 1831 complaints on 5 November 2018, while 19 days recorded more complaints than the monthly daily average. The lowest daily total was 223 complaints on 11 November 2018, well below the monthly average.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
The 28591 complaints recorded in November 2018 were submitted from 6159 cities across 55 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in District of Columbia, where Washington accounted for 111 of the 122 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this month, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3000 | 10.5% |
| Florida | 2069 | 7.2% |
| Texas | 2023 | 7.1% |
| New York | 1615 | 5.6% |
| New Jersey | 1561 | 5.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 1159 | 4.1% |
| Ohio | 1034 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 979 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | 933 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 877 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 13263 | 46.4% |
Location highlight
Complaint activity in District of Columbia was almost entirely concentrated in Washington.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded during the month related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 23652 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 23652 | 82.7% |
| Internet | 2277 | 8.0% |
| TV | 2262 | 7.9% |
| Radio | 317 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 40 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 39 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 4 | 0.0% |
Phone complaints
23652 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 82.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 19114 | 80.8% |
| Billing | 1425 | 6.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 1325 | 5.6% |
| Equipment | 675 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 308 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 242 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 218 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 161 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 159 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 21 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 3 | 0.0% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
2277 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 8.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 701 | 30.8% |
| Availability | 597 | 26.2% |
| Speed | 385 | 16.9% |
| Privacy | 237 | 10.4% |
| Interference | 187 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 170 | 7.5% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
TV complaints
2262 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 7.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 985 | 43.5% |
| Availability | 403 | 17.8% |
| Indecency | 254 | 11.2% |
| Equipment | 239 | 10.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 230 | 10.2% |
| Interference | 113 | 5.0% |
| Privacy | 38 | 1.7% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Radio complaints
317 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 1.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 99 | 31.2% |
| Indecency | 63 | 19.9% |
| Pirate Radio | 63 | 19.9% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 34 | 10.7% |
| Availability | 27 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 19 | 6.0% |
| Billing | 12 | 3.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Interference, Indecency and Pirate Radio.
Emergency complaints
40 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 19 | 47.5% |
| Other | 10 | 25.0% |
| Tower | 7 | 17.5% |
| Phone | 3 | 7.5% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Interference and Other, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Accessibility complaints
39 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Captioning on TV | 25 | 64.1% |
| Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) | 5 | 12.8% |
| Closed Captioning over the Internet | 4 | 10.3% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireless Phones | 2 | 5.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Closed Captioning on TV and Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
19114 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 66.9% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (800) 772-1213 | 53 | 0.3% |
| (319) 400-7890 | 24 | 0.1% |
| (800) 945-2000 | 20 | 0.1% |
| (718) 568-2230 | 19 | 0.1% |
| (800) 694-7466 | 19 | 0.1% |
| (844) 871-7942 | 18 | 0.1% |
| (713) 589-6526 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (310) 633-2670 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (800) 288-2020 | 14 | 0.1% |
| (866) 826-2124 | 14 | 0.1% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 52 | 0.3% |
| (800) 772-1213 | 31 | 0.2% |
| (844) 871-7942 | 23 | 0.1% |
| (800) 694-7466 | 14 | 0.1% |
| (323) 999-3585 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (800) 847-2911 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (515) 735-3234 | 12 | 0.1% |
| (866) 925-9112 | 12 | 0.1% |
| (877) 874-3176 | 12 | 0.1% |
| (407) 358-6232 | 11 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by call type.
- (555) 555-5555 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (800) 772-1213 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.