FCC Consumer Complaints – 25 February 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1078 consumer complaints on Monday, 25 February 2019 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 225 complaints the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 726 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1078
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (726)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (121)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1078 complaints were recorded on 25 February 2019, with reports originating from 700 cities in 51 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 121 | 11.2% |
| Florida | 79 | 7.3% |
| Texas | 67 | 6.2% |
| New York | 66 | 6.1% |
| Michigan | 48 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 47 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 43 | 4.0% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 3.7% |
| New Jersey | 40 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 37 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 484 | 44.9% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 879 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 879 | 81.5% |
| TV | 103 | 9.6% |
| Internet | 81 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 11 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
879 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 726 | 82.6% |
| Billing | 59 | 6.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 37 | 4.2% |
| Equipment | 26 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 11 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 0.8% |
| Privacy | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.2% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
TV complaints
103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 53.4% |
| Availability | 17 | 16.5% |
| Equipment | 12 | 11.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 8.7% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.8% |
| Indecency | 3 | 2.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
81 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 42.0% |
| Availability | 15 | 18.5% |
| Speed | 12 | 14.8% |
| Equipment | 7 | 8.6% |
| Interference | 7 | 8.6% |
| Privacy | 6 | 7.4% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 726 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 67.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (508) 598-0493 | 10 | 1.4% |
| (408) 551-2150 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (484) 217-9974 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (321) 594-6781 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (503) 806-6382 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (843) 217-4115 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (888) 496-1141 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (207) 872-8598 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (248) 555-2673 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (402) 382-7932 | 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.
- (508) 598-0493 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.