FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 May 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 985 consumer complaints on Friday, 17 May 2019 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1150 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 691 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 985
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (691)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (136)
Where the complaints came from
The 985 complaints recorded on 17 May 2019 originated from 665 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 136 | 13.8% |
| Texas | 79 | 8.0% |
| Florida | 66 | 6.7% |
| New York | 60 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 37 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 33 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 33 | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 32 | 3.2% |
| Washington | 30 | 3.0% |
| Arizona | 28 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 444 | 45.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 806 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 806 | 81.8% |
| TV | 85 | 8.6% |
| Internet | 80 | 8.1% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
806 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 691 | 85.7% |
| Billing | 48 | 6.0% |
| Equipment | 21 | 2.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 19 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.7% |
| Privacy | 3 | 0.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
| 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
TV complaints
85 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 47 | 55.3% |
| Availability | 23 | 27.1% |
| Equipment | 9 | 10.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.7% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.4% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
80 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 37.5% |
| Availability | 28 | 35.0% |
| Speed | 8 | 10.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.3% |
| Privacy | 5 | 6.3% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.0% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
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.