FCC Consumer Complaints – 2 November 2018
Introduction
On 2 November 2018, 1249 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1364 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 880 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1249
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (880)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (127)
Where the complaints came from
The 1249 complaints recorded on 2 November 2018 originated from 827 cities across 49 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 | 127 | 10.2% |
| Florida | 96 | 7.7% |
| Texas | 95 | 7.6% |
| New York | 82 | 6.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 71 | 5.7% |
| Ohio | 49 | 3.9% |
| Virginia | 48 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 46 | 3.7% |
| North Carolina | 45 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 547 | 43.8% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 84 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 4 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1050 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1050 | 84.1% |
| TV | 96 | 7.7% |
| Internet | 88 | 7.0% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.2% |
Phone complaints
1050 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 84.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 880 | 83.8% |
| Billing | 61 | 5.8% |
| Equipment | 38 | 3.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 27 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 15 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.5% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
96 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 42 | 43.8% |
| Availability | 22 | 22.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 12.5% |
| Indecency | 11 | 11.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.2% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.2% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 25 | 28.4% |
| Availability | 20 | 22.7% |
| Speed | 18 | 20.5% |
| Privacy | 13 | 14.8% |
| Equipment | 7 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.7% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability and Speed.
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.