FCC Consumer Complaints – 24 September 2019

Introduction

The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1147 consumer complaints on Tuesday, 24 September 2019 relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1113 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 755 complaints recorded.

Key statistics

Total complaints
1147
States & territories reporting
50
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (755)
Most reported state/territory
California (102)

Where the complaints came from

Reports recorded on 24 September 2019 show 1147 complaints originating from 747 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. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 29 of the 36 complaints recorded.

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 102 8.9%
Texas 86 7.5%
Florida 83 7.2%
New York 81 7.1%
Illinois 54 4.7%
Ohio 51 4.4%
Pennsylvania 45 3.9%
North Carolina 39 3.4%
Virginia 39 3.4%
Georgia 37 3.2%
Other states and territories 528 46.0%

Location highlight

Complaints in Iowa were heavily concentrated in Iowa City, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.

What the complaints were about

The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 919 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 919 80.1%
Internet 107 9.3%
TV 101 8.8%
Radio 16 1.4%
Emergency 2 0.2%
Request for Dispute Assistance 2 0.2%

Phone complaints

919 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.1% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 755 82.2%
Billing 66 7.2%
Equipment 36 3.9%
Availability (including rural call completion) 23 2.5%
Junk Faxes 11 1.2%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 11 1.2%
Privacy 6 0.7%
Interference (including signal jammers) 5 0.5%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 4 0.4%
Rural Call Completion 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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).

Internet complaints

107 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.3% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 47 43.9%
Availability 35 32.7%
Speed 8 7.5%
Equipment 6 5.6%
Interference 6 5.6%
Privacy 5 4.7%

Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.

TV complaints

101 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 51 50.5%
Availability 30 29.7%
Equipment 8 7.9%
Interference 5 5.0%
Indecency 3 3.0%
Loud Commercials 3 3.0%
Privacy 1 1.0%

Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.

Page last updated: 25 September 2019 with FCC complaints data from 24 September 2019.

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.