FCC Consumer Complaints – 8 December 2018
Introduction
On 8 December 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 461 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1174 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 47 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 267 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 461
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (267)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (78)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 8 December 2018 show 461 complaints originating from 371 cities across 47 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 78 | 16.9% |
| Texas | 45 | 9.8% |
| Florida | 31 | 6.7% |
| New York | 26 | 5.6% |
| Illinois | 19 | 4.1% |
| Washington | 19 | 4.1% |
| North Carolina | 15 | 3.3% |
| Georgia | 14 | 3.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 2.8% |
| Wisconsin | 13 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 188 | 40.8% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 332 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 332 | 72.0% |
| Internet | 65 | 14.1% |
| TV | 49 | 10.6% |
| Radio | 13 | 2.8% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
332 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 267 | 80.4% |
| Billing | 29 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 12 | 3.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 11 | 3.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 3 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 1 | 0.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.3% |
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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
Internet complaints
65 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 41.5% |
| Availability | 17 | 26.2% |
| Speed | 10 | 15.4% |
| Interference | 4 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 4 | 6.2% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
49 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 26 | 53.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 14.3% |
| Equipment | 6 | 12.2% |
| Availability | 5 | 10.2% |
| Indecency | 4 | 8.2% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.0% |
Billing and Loud Commercials were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less 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.