FCC Consumer Complaints – 29 August 2019
Introduction
On Thursday, 29 August 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1200 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1307 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 820 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1200
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (820)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (127)
Where the complaints came from
The 1200 complaints recorded on 29 August 2019 were submitted from 773 cities across 50 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 Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 30 of the 37 complaints recorded in the state.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 127 | 10.6% |
| Texas | 117 | 9.8% |
| Florida | 89 | 7.4% |
| Illinois | 54 | 4.5% |
| New York | 54 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 52 | 4.3% |
| Virginia | 39 | 3.3% |
| Iowa | 37 | 3.1% |
| Michigan | 35 | 2.9% |
| New Jersey | 35 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 558 | 46.5% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Iowa originated from Iowa City, which accounted for most reports within the state.
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 982 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 982 | 81.8% |
| TV | 109 | 9.1% |
| Internet | 96 | 8.0% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.8% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
982 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 820 | 83.5% |
| Billing | 60 | 6.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 35 | 3.6% |
| Equipment | 27 | 2.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 16 | 1.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 7 | 0.7% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 47 | 43.1% |
| Availability | 40 | 36.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 7.3% |
| Indecency | 6 | 5.5% |
| Equipment | 5 | 4.6% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.9% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
96 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 34 | 35.4% |
| Billing | 30 | 31.3% |
| Speed | 14 | 14.6% |
| Equipment | 7 | 7.3% |
| Interference | 7 | 7.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 4.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
A total of 820 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 68.3% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 13 | 1.6% |
| (860) 362-5876 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (281) 245-1887 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (301) 691-1152 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (346) 355-0024 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (386) 327-6156 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (512) 342-8008 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (682) 305-7440 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (813) 492-2732 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (813) 492-2817 | 2 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (555) 555-5555 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.