FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 November 2018
Introduction
On 5 November 2018, 1831 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 349 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 52 states and territories, and New Jersey generated the highest number of submissions with 587 complaints. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1831
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (915)
- Most reported state/territory
- New Jersey (587)
Where the complaints came from
On 5 November 2018, the 1831 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 796 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaints were less evenly distributed than usual, with New Jersey accounting for the highest proportion of reports. Within New Jersey, a large proportion of complaints were concentrated in Lakewood, which accounted for 519 of the 587 reports recorded in the state.
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 587 | 32.1% |
| California | 122 | 6.7% |
| New York | 98 | 5.4% |
| Florida | 95 | 5.2% |
| Texas | 89 | 4.9% |
| Ohio | 56 | 3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | 2.8% |
| Illinois | 44 | 2.4% |
| Iowa | 43 | 2.3% |
| Virginia | 39 | 2.1% |
| Other states and territories | 601 | 32.8% |
Location highlight
Lakewood accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in New Jersey.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 1633 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1633 | 89.2% |
| TV | 99 | 5.4% |
| Internet | 87 | 4.8% |
| Radio | 9 | 0.5% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1633 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 89.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 915 | 56.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 601 | 36.8% |
| Billing | 39 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 25 | 1.5% |
| Equipment | 17 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.2% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability (including rural call completion), Billing and Privacy.
TV complaints
99 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 34.3% |
| Availability | 22 | 22.2% |
| Indecency | 19 | 19.2% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.1% |
| Equipment | 7 | 7.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 7.1% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.0% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Indecency.
Internet complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 36.8% |
| Availability | 20 | 23.0% |
| Speed | 11 | 12.6% |
| Privacy | 10 | 11.5% |
| Equipment | 7 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 7 | 8.0% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several 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.