FCC Consumer Complaints – 6 November 2018
Introduction
On Tuesday, 6 November 2018, 1577 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1831 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 54 states and territories, with New Jersey reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 1038 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1577
- States & territories reporting
- 54
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (1038)
- Most reported state/territory
- New Jersey (189)
Where the complaints came from
The 1577 complaints recorded on 6 November 2018 originated from 909 cities across 54 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in New Jersey, where Lakewood accounted for 118 of the 189 complaints recorded in the state.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 189 | 12.0% |
| California | 147 | 9.3% |
| Florida | 119 | 7.5% |
| Texas | 111 | 7.0% |
| New York | 86 | 5.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 66 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 51 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | 47 | 3.0% |
| North Carolina | 43 | 2.7% |
| Arizona | 42 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 670 | 42.5% |
Location highlight
Lakewood accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in New Jersey.
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 1384 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1384 | 87.8% |
| TV | 93 | 5.9% |
| Internet | 83 | 5.3% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1384 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 87.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 1038 | 75.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 172 | 12.4% |
| Billing | 70 | 5.1% |
| Equipment | 43 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 20 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 0.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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 Availability (including rural call completion), Billing and Equipment.
TV complaints
93 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 32.3% |
| Availability | 27 | 29.0% |
| Equipment | 12 | 12.9% |
| Indecency | 12 | 12.9% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 4.3% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
83 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 33 | 39.8% |
| Availability | 22 | 26.5% |
| Speed | 12 | 14.5% |
| Interference | 8 | 9.6% |
| Privacy | 5 | 6.0% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
1038 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 65.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (508) 329-0131 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (631) 466-3062 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (239) 232-6650 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (855) 690-5900 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (209) 624-8514 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (231) 666-7089 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (239) 235-3688 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (239) 986-8916 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (347) 480-1544 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (407) 358-6681 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (407) 358-6681 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (508) 329-0131 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (508) 329-0097 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (631) 466-3055 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (239) 232-6650 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (239) 235-3688 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (347) 480-1544 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (631) 466-3062 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (844) 871-7942 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (202) 888-0049 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Several business contact numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
- Several caller ID numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
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.