FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 September 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1194 consumer complaints on 5 September 2019 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1201 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 811 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1194
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (811)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (115)
Where the complaints came from
The 1194 complaints recorded on 5 September 2019 originated from 792 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaint activity was widely distributed across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a notable share of reports. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 115 | 9.6% |
| Texas | 104 | 8.7% |
| Florida | 94 | 7.9% |
| New York | 67 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 55 | 4.6% |
| Ohio | 49 | 4.1% |
| Washington | 43 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 34 | 2.8% |
| North Carolina | 33 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 556 | 46.6% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 963 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 963 | 80.7% |
| TV | 113 | 9.5% |
| Internet | 101 | 8.5% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
963 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 811 | 84.2% |
| Billing | 57 | 5.9% |
| Equipment | 29 | 3.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 2.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 13 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 12 | 1.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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
113 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 48 | 42.5% |
| Billing | 45 | 39.8% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.1% |
| Indecency | 6 | 5.3% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 2.7% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
101 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 40 | 39.6% |
| Availability | 36 | 35.6% |
| Equipment | 9 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 8 | 7.9% |
| Speed | 6 | 5.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.0% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
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.