FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 December 2018
Introduction
On 3 December 2018, 1022 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 338 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 664 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1022
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (664)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (111)
Where the complaints came from
Across 721 cities in 52 states and territories, a total of 1022 complaints were recorded on 3 December 2018. 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 111 | 10.9% |
| Florida | 85 | 8.3% |
| Texas | 73 | 7.1% |
| Ohio | 42 | 4.1% |
| Wisconsin | 42 | 4.1% |
| New York | 41 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 40 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 37 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 35 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 473 | 46.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 811 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 811 | 79.4% |
| TV | 98 | 9.6% |
| Internet | 93 | 9.1% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.4% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
811 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 664 | 81.9% |
| Billing | 50 | 6.2% |
| Equipment | 31 | 3.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 16 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.4% |
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 Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
TV complaints
98 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 47 | 48.0% |
| Availability | 23 | 23.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 11.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 8.2% |
| Indecency | 3 | 3.1% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
93 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 32.3% |
| Availability | 28 | 30.1% |
| Speed | 14 | 15.1% |
| Privacy | 8 | 8.6% |
| Interference | 7 | 7.5% |
| Equipment | 6 | 6.5% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
A total of 664 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 65% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (508) 202-1270 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (331) 240-1294 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (619) 800-7328 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (207) 393-2025 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (302) 462-3153 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (413) 354-0597 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (510) 556-2005 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (510) 556-2032 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (510) 556-2201 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (561) 240-6442 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by call type.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (508) 202-1270 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.