FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 December 2018
Introduction
On Saturday, 1 December 2018, 447 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1152 complaints recorded the previous day. 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 262 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 447
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (262)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (65)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 1 December 2018 show 447 complaints originating from 350 cities across 49 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 65 | 14.5% |
| Florida | 33 | 7.4% |
| Texas | 25 | 5.6% |
| Michigan | 21 | 4.7% |
| North Carolina | 21 | 4.7% |
| New York | 21 | 4.7% |
| Ohio | 19 | 4.3% |
| Virginia | 19 | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 4.0% |
| Georgia | 17 | 3.8% |
| Other states and territories | 188 | 42.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 328 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 328 | 73.4% |
| TV | 60 | 13.4% |
| Internet | 49 | 11.0% |
| Radio | 5 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.7% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
328 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 262 | 79.9% |
| Billing | 24 | 7.3% |
| Equipment | 13 | 4.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 8 | 2.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 5 | 1.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 0.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.3% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) among the most common.
TV complaints
60 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 26 | 43.3% |
| Availability | 13 | 21.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 11.7% |
| Equipment | 6 | 10.0% |
| Indecency | 4 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 3 | 5.0% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
49 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 15 | 30.6% |
| Privacy | 8 | 16.3% |
| Speed | 8 | 16.3% |
| Availability | 6 | 12.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 12.2% |
| Interference | 6 | 12.2% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Privacy and Speed among the most common.
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.