FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 August 2019
Introduction
A total of 380 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 31 August 2019, this represented a decline from the 1118 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 46 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 220 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 380
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (220)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (56)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 31 August 2019 show 380 complaints originating from 304 cities across 46 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 56 | 14.7% |
| Florida | 35 | 9.2% |
| Texas | 28 | 7.4% |
| Arizona | 20 | 5.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 20 | 5.3% |
| North Carolina | 17 | 4.5% |
| Nevada | 14 | 3.7% |
| Washington | 13 | 3.4% |
| Illinois | 12 | 3.2% |
| New York | 12 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 153 | 40.3% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 271 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 271 | 71.3% |
| TV | 51 | 13.4% |
| Internet | 46 | 12.1% |
| Radio | 11 | 2.9% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
271 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 220 | 81.2% |
| Billing | 20 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 13 | 4.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 6 | 2.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.4% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
TV complaints
51 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 24 | 47.1% |
| Availability | 18 | 35.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 4 | 7.8% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
46 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 17 | 37.0% |
| Billing | 16 | 34.8% |
| Speed | 5 | 10.9% |
| Interference | 4 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.2% |
Availability and Billing 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.