FCC Consumer Complaints – 15 December 2018
Introduction
On Saturday, 15 December 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 464 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1143 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 293 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 464
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (293)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (68)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 464 complaints were recorded on 15 December 2018, with reports originating from 371 cities in 50 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 68 | 14.7% |
| New York | 35 | 7.5% |
| Florida | 29 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 26 | 5.6% |
| Illinois | 24 | 5.2% |
| New Jersey | 23 | 5.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 4.5% |
| Wisconsin | 18 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 17 | 3.7% |
| Maryland | 17 | 3.7% |
| Other states and territories | 186 | 40.1% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 52 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 4 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 358 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 358 | 77.2% |
| Internet | 53 | 11.4% |
| TV | 49 | 10.6% |
| Radio | 4 | 0.9% |
Phone complaints
358 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 293 | 81.8% |
| Billing | 30 | 8.4% |
| Equipment | 12 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 7 | 2.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.1% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.3% |
| Rural Call Completion | 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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
53 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 21 | 39.6% |
| Availability | 12 | 22.6% |
| Speed | 10 | 18.9% |
| Privacy | 7 | 13.2% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.8% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.9% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
49 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 44.9% |
| Indecency | 6 | 12.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 12.2% |
| Availability | 5 | 10.2% |
| Equipment | 5 | 10.2% |
| Privacy | 3 | 6.1% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.1% |
Billing was the most commonly reported issue in this category, while other issues occurred less frequently.
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.