FCC Consumer Complaints – 25 December 2018
Introduction
On 25 December 2018, 137 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 239 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 34 states and territories, with Iowa accounting for the largest number of submissions at 42 complaints. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 61 complaints.
This date falls within a government shutdown period from 22 December 2018 to 25 January 2019. Complaint volumes during this period may be lower than usual.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 137
- States & territories reporting
- 34
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (61)
- Most reported state/territory
- Iowa (42)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 137 complaints were recorded on 25 December 2018, with reports originating from 88 cities in 34 states and territories. Compared with most days, complaint activity was more concentrated, with Iowa contributing the largest share of complaints. Much of the complaint activity in Iowa was focused in Iowa City, where 41 of the 42 reports were recorded.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 42 | 30.7% |
| Florida | 12 | 8.8% |
| Georgia | 10 | 7.3% |
| California | 9 | 6.6% |
| New York | 6 | 4.4% |
| Texas | 6 | 4.4% |
| Louisiana | 4 | 2.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 2.9% |
| Utah | 4 | 2.9% |
| Alaska | 3 | 2.2% |
| Other states and territories | 37 | 27.0% |
Location highlights
- Only two cities were associated with complaints in Iowa, Iowa City and Lansing.
- Complaint activity in Iowa was almost entirely concentrated in Iowa City.
What the complaints were about
A total of 4 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 87 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 87 | 63.5% |
| Internet | 26 | 19.0% |
| TV | 17 | 12.4% |
| Radio | 7 | 5.1% |
Phone complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 63.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 61 | 70.1% |
| Billing | 7 | 8.0% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.9% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 3 | 3.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 3.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 2.3% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Privacy and Equipment.
Internet complaints
26 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 7 | 26.9% |
| Availability | 5 | 19.2% |
| Billing | 5 | 19.2% |
| Interference | 5 | 19.2% |
| Privacy | 3 | 11.5% |
| Equipment | 1 | 3.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Speed, Availability and Billing.
TV complaints
17 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 5 | 29.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 23.5% |
| Availability | 3 | 17.6% |
| Billing | 3 | 17.6% |
| Indecency | 2 | 11.8% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Equipment, Loud Commercials and Availability.
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.