FCC Consumer Complaints – 23 August 2019
Introduction
On 23 August 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1280 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1302 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 826 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1280
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (826)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (140)
Where the complaints came from
The 1280 complaints recorded on 23 August 2019 originated from 773 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 140 | 10.9% |
| South Carolina | 104 | 8.1% |
| Texas | 96 | 7.5% |
| Florida | 83 | 6.5% |
| New York | 80 | 6.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 58 | 4.5% |
| Ohio | 57 | 4.5% |
| Illinois | 47 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 40 | 3.1% |
| Michigan | 36 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 532 | 41.6% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 80 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 955 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 955 | 74.6% |
| TV | 184 | 14.4% |
| Internet | 118 | 9.2% |
| Radio | 18 | 1.4% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
955 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 826 | 86.5% |
| Billing | 46 | 4.8% |
| Equipment | 32 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 2.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 0.2% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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.
TV complaints
184 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 106 | 57.6% |
| Billing | 60 | 32.6% |
| Equipment | 12 | 6.5% |
| Interference | 5 | 2.7% |
| Indecency | 1 | 0.5% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
118 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 51 | 43.2% |
| Billing | 31 | 26.3% |
| Equipment | 16 | 13.6% |
| Speed | 11 | 9.3% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.2% |
| Privacy | 4 | 3.4% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 826 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 64.5% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (312) 584-0252 | 6 | 0.7% |
| (312) 584-0384 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (912) 999-4272 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (971) 202-4260 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (202) 792-0446 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (317) 762-0005 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (701) 660-0201 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (865) 761-8008 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (941) 621-2438 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (312) 584-0252 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.