FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 May 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1239 consumer complaints on Tuesday, 21 May 2019 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1039 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 856 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1239
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (856)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (157)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 21 May 2019 show 1239 complaints originating from 800 cities across 51 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 157 | 12.7% |
| Texas | 105 | 8.5% |
| Florida | 82 | 6.6% |
| New York | 82 | 6.6% |
| Ohio | 57 | 4.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 51 | 4.1% |
| Illinois | 46 | 3.7% |
| Washington | 45 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 43 | 3.5% |
| Arizona | 38 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 532 | 42.9% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 105 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 1028 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1028 | 83.0% |
| TV | 109 | 8.8% |
| Internet | 84 | 6.8% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1028 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 856 | 83.3% |
| Billing | 69 | 6.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 30 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 20 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 20 | 1.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.7% |
| Rural Call Completion | 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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
TV complaints
109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 50.5% |
| Availability | 24 | 22.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 10.1% |
| Equipment | 9 | 8.3% |
| Indecency | 5 | 4.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
84 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 40.5% |
| Availability | 33 | 39.3% |
| Privacy | 7 | 8.3% |
| Speed | 5 | 6.0% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.6% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.4% |
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.