FCC Consumer Complaints – 22 May 2019
Introduction
On 22 May 2019, 1189 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1239 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 52 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 841 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1189
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (841)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (177)
Where the complaints came from
On 22 May 2019, the 1189 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 774 cities across 52 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | 177 | 14.9% |
| Florida | 104 | 8.7% |
| Texas | 87 | 7.3% |
| New York | 74 | 6.2% |
| Illinois | 48 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 44 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 42 | 3.5% |
| Arizona | 40 | 3.4% |
| Ohio | 39 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 35 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 497 | 41.8% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 987 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 987 | 83.0% |
| Internet | 95 | 8.0% |
| TV | 91 | 7.7% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
987 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 83.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 841 | 85.2% |
| Billing | 47 | 4.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 30 | 3.0% |
| Equipment | 26 | 2.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 13 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.4% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 40.0% |
| Availability | 36 | 37.9% |
| Interference | 7 | 7.4% |
| Speed | 7 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
91 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 44 | 48.4% |
| Availability | 23 | 25.3% |
| Indecency | 8 | 8.8% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 5.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.3% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.