FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 February 2019
Introduction
On Sunday, 17 February 2019, 265 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 426 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 42 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 118 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 265
- States & territories reporting
- 42
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (118)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (34)
Where the complaints came from
The 265 complaints recorded on 17 February 2019 were submitted from 203 cities across 42 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 34 | 12.8% |
| Florida | 22 | 8.3% |
| New York | 17 | 6.4% |
| Kentucky | 16 | 6.0% |
| Illinois | 14 | 5.3% |
| Texas | 13 | 4.9% |
| Michigan | 11 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 4.2% |
| Ohio | 10 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 10 | 3.8% |
| Other states and territories | 107 | 40.4% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 169 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 169 | 63.8% |
| TV | 48 | 18.1% |
| Internet | 41 | 15.5% |
| Radio | 4 | 1.5% |
| Emergency | 3 | 1.1% |
Phone complaints
169 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 63.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 118 | 69.8% |
| Billing | 14 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 8 | 4.7% |
| Privacy | 7 | 4.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 6 | 3.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 3.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 3.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 1.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.6% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided in the section below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Privacy.
TV complaints
48 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 45.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 25.0% |
| Equipment | 5 | 10.4% |
| Availability | 4 | 8.3% |
| Indecency | 3 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.1% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Loud Commercials, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
41 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 14 | 34.1% |
| Speed | 10 | 24.4% |
| Availability | 8 | 19.5% |
| Privacy | 5 | 12.2% |
| Interference | 3 | 7.3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.4% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed 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.