FCC Consumer Complaints – 30 January 2019
Introduction
On Wednesday, 30 January 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1304 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1555 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 952 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1304
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (952)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (125)
Where the complaints came from
Across 771 cities in 52 states and territories, a total of 1304 complaints were recorded on 30 January 2019. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Colorado, where Fort Morgan accounted for 74 of the 108 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 125 | 9.6% |
| Colorado | 108 | 8.3% |
| Florida | 94 | 7.2% |
| Texas | 79 | 6.1% |
| New York | 71 | 5.4% |
| Ohio | 68 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 67 | 5.1% |
| Wisconsin | 50 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 42 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 42 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 553 | 42.4% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Colorado originated from Fort Morgan, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 1111 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1111 | 85.2% |
| TV | 94 | 7.2% |
| Internet | 87 | 6.7% |
| Radio | 9 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1111 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 85.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 952 | 85.7% |
| Billing | 66 | 5.9% |
| Equipment | 28 | 2.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 21 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 45 | 47.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 14 | 14.9% |
| Availability | 13 | 13.8% |
| Equipment | 11 | 11.7% |
| Interference | 6 | 6.4% |
| Indecency | 5 | 5.3% |
Billing and Loud Commercials accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 47.1% |
| Speed | 16 | 18.4% |
| Availability | 14 | 16.1% |
| Privacy | 8 | 9.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 6.9% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.3% |
Billing and Speed accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 952 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 73% 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 business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (561) 880-0043 | 5 | 0.5% |
| (434) 471-4014 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (434) 471-4025 | 4 | 0.4% |
| (270) 235-6415 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (410) 660-2502 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (707) 786-6856 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (800) 694-7466 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (888) 926-2258 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (970) 279-7005 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (979) 633-4346 | 3 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (561) 880-0043 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.