FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 May 2019
Introduction
On 12 May 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 216 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 481 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 37 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 117 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 216
- States & territories reporting
- 37
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (117)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (32)
Where the complaints came from
The 216 complaints recorded on 12 May 2019 originated from 173 cities across 37 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 32 | 14.8% |
| Florida | 21 | 9.7% |
| Washington | 14 | 6.5% |
| Maryland | 12 | 5.6% |
| Texas | 12 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 4.6% |
| Tennessee | 10 | 4.6% |
| Georgia | 9 | 4.2% |
| Massachusetts | 9 | 4.2% |
| Arizona | 7 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 80 | 37.0% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 28 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 149 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 149 | 69.0% |
| Internet | 31 | 14.4% |
| TV | 20 | 9.3% |
| Radio | 9 | 4.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 1.4% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.9% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.9% |
Phone complaints
149 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 117 | 78.5% |
| Billing | 11 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 6 | 4.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 5 | 3.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 2.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 2.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.7% |
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).
Internet complaints
31 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 14 | 45.2% |
| Billing | 10 | 32.3% |
| Interference | 4 | 12.9% |
| Speed | 2 | 6.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 3.2% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.