FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 April 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1178 consumer complaints on 18 April 2019 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1097 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 841 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1178
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (841)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (158)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1178 complaints were recorded on 18 April 2019, with reports originating from 763 cities in 52 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large 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 | 158 | 13.4% |
| Florida | 82 | 7.0% |
| Texas | 79 | 6.7% |
| New York | 78 | 6.6% |
| Ohio | 69 | 5.9% |
| Illinois | 48 | 4.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 44 | 3.7% |
| Colorado | 37 | 3.1% |
| Michigan | 32 | 2.7% |
| New Jersey | 32 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 518 | 44.0% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 996 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 996 | 84.6% |
| TV | 86 | 7.3% |
| Internet | 76 | 6.5% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
996 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 84.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 841 | 84.4% |
| Billing | 58 | 5.8% |
| Equipment | 35 | 3.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 23 | 2.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 0.9% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 45 | 52.3% |
| Availability | 27 | 31.4% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.7% |
| Indecency | 4 | 4.7% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 3.5% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
76 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 42.1% |
| Availability | 22 | 28.9% |
| Interference | 8 | 10.5% |
| Speed | 7 | 9.2% |
| Privacy | 4 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 841 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 71.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (832) 266-1772 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (202) 614-5871 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (800) 945-2000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (484) 971-4866 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (650) 469-8066 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (850) 299-6037 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (240) 273-1961 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (240) 273-3600 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (321) 350-0349 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (559) 370-1476 | 2 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (832) 266-1772 | 5 | 0.6% |
| (800) 945-2000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (866) 289-1991 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (202) 614-5871 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (850) 299-6037 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (240) 273-3600 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (240) 273-3652 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (320) 289-5045 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (650) 362-7322 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (650) 469-8066 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (832) 266-1772 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (832) 266-1772 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.