FCC Consumer Complaints – 6 September 2019
Introduction
On 6 September 2019, 1076 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1194 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 713 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1076
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (713)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (126)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 6 September 2019 show 1076 complaints originating from 709 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 126 | 11.7% |
| Texas | 80 | 7.4% |
| New York | 70 | 6.5% |
| Florida | 62 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 4.5% |
| Illinois | 39 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 39 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 38 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 34 | 3.2% |
| Massachusetts | 33 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 496 | 46.1% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 79 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 834 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 834 | 77.5% |
| TV | 116 | 10.8% |
| Internet | 113 | 10.5% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
834 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 713 | 85.5% |
| Billing | 43 | 5.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 28 | 3.4% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 10 | 1.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.2% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
116 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 63 | 54.3% |
| Availability | 40 | 34.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 6.0% |
| Equipment | 4 | 3.4% |
| Indecency | 1 | 0.9% |
| Interference | 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
113 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 42 | 37.2% |
| Billing | 36 | 31.9% |
| Speed | 12 | 10.6% |
| Equipment | 9 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 7 | 6.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.