FCC Consumer Complaints – 13 May 2019
Introduction
A total of 891 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, 13 May 2019, this was higher than the 216 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 46 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 580 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 891
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (580)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (110)
Where the complaints came from
On 13 May 2019, the 891 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 606 cities across 46 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 | 110 | 12.3% |
| Florida | 98 | 11.0% |
| Texas | 69 | 7.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 5.4% |
| New York | 44 | 4.9% |
| Illinois | 32 | 3.6% |
| Maryland | 29 | 3.3% |
| Georgia | 28 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 28 | 3.1% |
| Washington | 25 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 375 | 42.1% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 707 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 707 | 79.3% |
| Internet | 97 | 10.9% |
| TV | 73 | 8.2% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
707 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 580 | 82.0% |
| Billing | 53 | 7.5% |
| Equipment | 24 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 2.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 8 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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).
Internet complaints
97 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 36 | 37.1% |
| Availability | 35 | 36.1% |
| Interference | 10 | 10.3% |
| Speed | 8 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.1% |
| Privacy | 4 | 4.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 56.2% |
| Availability | 17 | 23.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 9.6% |
| Indecency | 4 | 5.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 2.7% |
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.