FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 September 2019
Introduction
A total of 1279 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, 12 September 2019, this represented a decline from the 1309 complaints recorded the day before. 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 874 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1279
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (874)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (129)
Where the complaints came from
Across 819 cities in 50 states and territories, a total of 1279 complaints were recorded on 12 September 2019. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 129 | 10.1% |
| Texas | 105 | 8.2% |
| Florida | 84 | 6.6% |
| New York | 76 | 5.9% |
| Ohio | 72 | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 58 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 51 | 4.0% |
| Michigan | 40 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 39 | 3.0% |
| Arizona | 36 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 588 | 46.0% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 94 different cities.
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 1034 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 1034 | 80.8% |
| TV | 134 | 10.5% |
| Internet | 92 | 7.2% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
1034 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 874 | 84.5% |
| Billing | 60 | 5.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 28 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 25 | 2.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 1.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 13 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.8% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.4% |
| Rural Call Completion | 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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
TV complaints
134 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 62 | 46.3% |
| Availability | 53 | 39.6% |
| Equipment | 7 | 5.2% |
| Indecency | 6 | 4.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 3.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.5% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 39 | 42.4% |
| Billing | 30 | 32.6% |
| Speed | 14 | 15.2% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
874 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 68.3% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 15 | 1.7% |
| (770) 344-2620 | 3 | 0.3% |
| (276) 451-3809 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (312) 796-0321 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (360) 529-6732 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (407) 511-9588 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (507) 607-9373 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (913) 312-3381 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (954) 228-1518 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (201) 215-0978 | 1 | 0.1% |
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.