FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 July 2019
Introduction
On 3 July 2019, 1028 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1107 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 668 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1028
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (668)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (141)
Where the complaints came from
On 3 July 2019, the 1028 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 689 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. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Indiana, where Plainfield accounted for 22 of the 35 complaints recorded.
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 | 141 | 13.7% |
| Texas | 75 | 7.3% |
| Florida | 68 | 6.6% |
| Illinois | 56 | 5.4% |
| New York | 52 | 5.1% |
| Ohio | 45 | 4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 4.0% |
| Indiana | 35 | 3.4% |
| Michigan | 32 | 3.1% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 451 | 43.9% |
Location highlights
- Plainfield accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Indiana.
- Complaints in California were reported across 97 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 828 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 828 | 80.5% |
| Internet | 101 | 9.8% |
| TV | 75 | 7.3% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.6% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.4% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
828 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 668 | 80.7% |
| Billing | 58 | 7.0% |
| Equipment | 38 | 4.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 2.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 11 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 8 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
Internet complaints
101 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 42 | 41.6% |
| Billing | 37 | 36.6% |
| Speed | 9 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 6 | 5.9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.0% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
75 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 57.3% |
| Availability | 18 | 24.0% |
| Equipment | 6 | 8.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.7% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.3% |
Billing and Availability 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.