FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 December 2018
Introduction
On 21 December 2018, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 904 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1026 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 580 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 904
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (580)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (107)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 904 complaints were recorded on 21 December 2018, with reports originating from 606 cities in 49 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 30 of the 32 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 107 | 11.8% |
| New York | 68 | 7.5% |
| Florida | 65 | 7.2% |
| Texas | 57 | 6.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 42 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 35 | 3.9% |
| Virginia | 33 | 3.7% |
| Iowa | 32 | 3.5% |
| Ohio | 29 | 3.2% |
| Colorado | 26 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 408 | 45.1% |
Location highlight
Complaint activity in Iowa was almost entirely concentrated in Iowa City.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 718 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 718 | 79.4% |
| Internet | 84 | 9.3% |
| TV | 77 | 8.5% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.8% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
718 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 580 | 80.8% |
| Billing | 44 | 6.1% |
| Equipment | 25 | 3.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 3.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 14 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 13 | 1.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 11 | 1.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.0% |
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.
Internet complaints
84 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 33.3% |
| Availability | 15 | 17.9% |
| Speed | 14 | 16.7% |
| Privacy | 11 | 13.1% |
| Interference | 10 | 11.9% |
| Equipment | 6 | 7.1% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Speed among the most common.
TV complaints
77 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 50.6% |
| Equipment | 10 | 13.0% |
| Availability | 9 | 11.7% |
| Privacy | 7 | 9.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 7.8% |
| Indecency | 4 | 5.2% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.6% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Equipment, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.