FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 December 2018
Introduction
A total of 445 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, 31 December 2018, complaint volume increased from 265 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 47 states and territories, with Florida recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
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
- 445
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (170)
- Most reported state/territory
- Florida (46)
Where the complaints came from
The 445 complaints recorded on 31 December 2018 were submitted from 354 cities across 47 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 46 | 10.3% |
| California | 45 | 10.1% |
| New York | 27 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 26 | 5.8% |
| Texas | 26 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 24 | 5.4% |
| New Jersey | 19 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 18 | 4.0% |
| North Carolina | 15 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | 14 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 183 | 41.1% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 293 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 293 | 65.8% |
| Internet | 73 | 16.4% |
| TV | 65 | 14.6% |
| Radio | 10 | 2.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
293 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 170 | 58.0% |
| Billing | 46 | 15.7% |
| Equipment | 27 | 9.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 5.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 9 | 3.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 2.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 1.0% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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
73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 26 | 35.6% |
| Availability | 21 | 28.8% |
| Speed | 12 | 16.4% |
| Equipment | 6 | 8.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 6.8% |
| Interference | 3 | 4.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
65 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 37 | 56.9% |
| Availability | 10 | 15.4% |
| Equipment | 8 | 12.3% |
| Indecency | 4 | 6.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 6.2% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.5% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 170 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 38.2% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (614) 452-4164 | 6 | 3.5% |
| (203) 516-2035 | 2 | 1.2% |
| (513) 216-8511 | 2 | 1.2% |
| (770) 731-1412 | 2 | 1.2% |
| (201) 254-2965 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (202) 874-9318 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (203) 516-2027 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (205) 683-6091 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (208) 877-3603 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (208) 906-0315 | 1 | 0.6% |
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.
- (614) 452-4164 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.