FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 February 2019
Introduction
On 4 February 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1025 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 274 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 605 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1025
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (605)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (100)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 4 February 2019 show 1025 complaints originating from 680 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaints were spread broadly across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a significant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 100 | 9.8% |
| Texas | 70 | 6.8% |
| Florida | 67 | 6.5% |
| Illinois | 48 | 4.7% |
| New Jersey | 47 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 4.0% |
| New York | 39 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 38 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 38 | 3.7% |
| Ohio | 35 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 502 | 49.0% |
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 759 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 759 | 74.0% |
| TV | 148 | 14.4% |
| Internet | 101 | 9.9% |
| Radio | 10 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
759 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 605 | 79.7% |
| Billing | 56 | 7.4% |
| Privacy | 24 | 3.2% |
| Equipment | 23 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 13 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 0.9% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.3% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Privacy and Equipment.
TV complaints
148 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 67 | 45.3% |
| Billing | 42 | 28.4% |
| Availability | 17 | 11.5% |
| Equipment | 7 | 4.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 4.7% |
| Interference | 5 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.0% |
Indecency and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
101 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 38.6% |
| Availability | 22 | 21.8% |
| Speed | 17 | 16.8% |
| Interference | 13 | 12.9% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.0% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
605 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 59% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (800) 847-2911 | 6 | 1.0% |
| (804) 281-4586 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (203) 747-8079 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (410) 671-5201 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (410) 929-7265 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (424) 354-4271 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (631) 443-4248 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (702) 956-9614 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (715) 423-4755 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (727) 369-8560 | 2 | 0.3% |
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.
- (800) 847-2911 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.