FCC Consumer Complaints – April 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 26386 consumer complaints in April 2019 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 30003 complaints the month before. Complaints were reported across 54 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 18519 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 26386
- Days with complaint data
- 30
- Days with complaints
- 30
- States & territories reporting
- 54
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (18519)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3304)
Daily complaint activity
The month averaged 879.5 complaints per day. The highest daily count was 1291 complaints on 4 April 2019, with 20 days recording more complaints than the monthly daily average. The lowest daily total was 159 complaints on 21 April 2019, well below the monthly average.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded in April 2019 show 26386 complaints originating from 5783 cities across 54 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in District of Columbia, where Washington accounted for 104 of the 112 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this month, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3304 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 2121 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 1998 | 7.6% |
| New York | 1532 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 1089 | 4.1% |
| Ohio | 1051 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 1031 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 924 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 808 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 795 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 11626 | 44.1% |
Location highlight
Complaint activity in District of Columbia was almost entirely concentrated in Washington.
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded during the month. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 21944 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 21944 | 83.2% |
| TV | 2055 | 7.8% |
| Internet | 1988 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 317 | 1.2% |
| Emergency | 44 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 29 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 9 | 0.0% |
Phone complaints
21944 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 83.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 18519 | 84.4% |
| Billing | 1288 | 5.9% |
| Equipment | 583 | 2.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 478 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 292 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 291 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 181 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 153 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 135 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 18 | 0.1% |
| Rural Call Completion | 6 | 0.0% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
2055 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 7.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 1045 | 50.9% |
| Availability | 551 | 26.8% |
| Equipment | 157 | 7.6% |
| Indecency | 113 | 5.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 113 | 5.5% |
| Interference | 49 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 27 | 1.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
1988 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 738 | 37.1% |
| Availability | 688 | 34.6% |
| Speed | 209 | 10.5% |
| Privacy | 125 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 122 | 6.1% |
| Equipment | 105 | 5.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
317 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 1.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 91 | 28.7% |
| Interference | 87 | 27.4% |
| Pirate Radio | 51 | 16.1% |
| Indecency | 40 | 12.6% |
| Equipment | 19 | 6.0% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 15 | 4.7% |
| Billing | 14 | 4.4% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Interference and Pirate Radio.
Emergency complaints
44 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 25 | 56.8% |
| Other | 14 | 31.8% |
| Phone | 4 | 9.1% |
| Tower | 1 | 2.3% |
Interference and Other accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
A total of 18519 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 70.2% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (832) 266-1772 | 45 | 0.2% |
| (800) 945-2000 | 19 | 0.1% |
| (800) 692-7753 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (800) 347-2683 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (845) 215-6980 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (619) 682-3477 | 14 | 0.1% |
| (800) 922-0204 | 14 | 0.1% |
| (561) 277-6733 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (561) 225-2487 | 12 | 0.1% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (832) 266-1772 | 47 | 0.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 27 | 0.1% |
| (850) 550-9974 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (850) 299-6037 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (800) 847-2911 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (904) 512-2257 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (866) 323-5426 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (402) 253-0507 | 9 | 0.0% |
| (619) 682-3477 | 9 | 0.0% |
| (858) 373-9784 | 9 | 0.0% |
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 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.