FCC Consumer Complaints – July 2019
Introduction
In July 2019, 29135 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 24070 complaints recorded the month before. Complaints were reported across 54 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 18426 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 29135
- Days with complaint data
- 31
- Days with complaints
- 31
- States & territories reporting
- 54
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (18426)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3442)
Daily complaint activity
The month averaged 939.8 complaints per day. The highest daily count was 1324 complaints on 10 July 2019, with 21 days recording more complaints than the monthly daily average. The quietest day was 28 July 2019, with 226 complaints, noticeably below the monthly average.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
A total of 29135 complaints were recorded in July 2019, with reports originating from 6218 cities in 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 128 of the 139 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 | 3442 | 11.8% |
| Texas | 2352 | 8.1% |
| Florida | 2327 | 8.0% |
| New York | 1574 | 5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 1271 | 4.4% |
| Ohio | 1253 | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 1062 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 926 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 892 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 837 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 13121 | 45.0% |
Location highlight
Complaint activity in District of Columbia was almost entirely concentrated in Washington.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded during the month related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 22434 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 22434 | 77.0% |
| TV | 3386 | 11.6% |
| Internet | 2896 | 9.9% |
| Radio | 307 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 52 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 45 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 15 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
22434 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 77.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 18426 | 82.1% |
| Billing | 1505 | 6.7% |
| Equipment | 777 | 3.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 680 | 3.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 309 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 211 | 0.9% |
| Privacy | 189 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 169 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 144 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 24 | 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
TV complaints
3386 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 11.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 1436 | 42.4% |
| Billing | 1366 | 40.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 188 | 5.6% |
| Equipment | 183 | 5.4% |
| Indecency | 129 | 3.8% |
| Interference | 62 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 22 | 0.6% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
2896 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 1138 | 39.3% |
| Billing | 978 | 33.8% |
| Speed | 304 | 10.5% |
| Equipment | 180 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 152 | 5.2% |
| Interference | 144 | 5.0% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
307 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 1.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 90 | 29.3% |
| Interference | 78 | 25.4% |
| Pirate Radio | 49 | 16.0% |
| Indecency | 35 | 11.4% |
| Billing | 24 | 7.8% |
| Equipment | 18 | 5.9% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 13 | 4.2% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Availability, Interference and Pirate Radio.
Emergency complaints
52 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 25 | 48.1% |
| Other | 16 | 30.8% |
| Tower | 6 | 11.5% |
| Phone | 5 | 9.6% |
Interference and Other were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Accessibility complaints
45 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Captioning on TV | 20 | 44.4% |
| Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) | 9 | 20.0% |
| Closed Captioning over the Internet | 8 | 17.8% |
| Emergency Information on TV | 1 | 2.2% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireless Phones | 1 | 2.2% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireline Phones | 1 | 2.2% |
Closed Captioning on TV and Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
18426 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 63.2% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (408) 960-0110 | 50 | 0.3% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 35 | 0.2% |
| (845) 215-6980 | 17 | 0.1% |
| (800) 692-7753 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (304) 396-3565 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (866) 887-8997 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (866) 283-6635 | 12 | 0.1% |
| (866) 931-7075 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (888) 662-0495 | 10 | 0.1% |
| (801) 902-3100 | 9 | 0.0% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 37 | 0.2% |
| (408) 960-0110 | 31 | 0.2% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 17 | 0.1% |
| (206) 309-9231 | 16 | 0.1% |
| (866) 844-3223 | 15 | 0.1% |
| (866) 288-5775 | 13 | 0.1% |
| (718) 307-1139 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (800) 692-7753 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (845) 215-6980 | 11 | 0.1% |
| (866) 262-6116 | 11 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (408) 960-0110 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.