FCC Consumer Complaints – 10 October 2019
Introduction
On 10 October 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1083 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 1136 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 710 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1083
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (710)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (102)
Where the complaints came from
Across 719 cities in 50 states and territories, a total of 1083 complaints were recorded on 10 October 2019. Complaint activity was widely distributed across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a notable share of reports. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Wyoming, where Casper accounted for 32 of the 33 complaints recorded in the state.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 102 | 9.4% |
| Texas | 84 | 7.8% |
| Florida | 74 | 6.8% |
| Ohio | 48 | 4.4% |
| New York | 46 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 42 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 38 | 3.5% |
| Maryland | 34 | 3.1% |
| North Carolina | 34 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 539 | 49.8% |
Location highlights
- Complaints reported in Wyoming originated from two cities, Casper and Buffalo.
- Complaint activity in Wyoming was almost entirely concentrated in Casper.
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 849 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 849 | 78.4% |
| TV | 111 | 10.2% |
| Internet | 109 | 10.1% |
| Radio | 10 | 0.9% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
849 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 710 | 83.6% |
| Billing | 54 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 23 | 2.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 2.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 17 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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).
TV complaints
111 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 64 | 57.7% |
| Availability | 29 | 26.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 8.1% |
| Equipment | 5 | 4.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.7% |
| Indecency | 1 | 0.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
109 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 39.4% |
| Availability | 40 | 36.7% |
| Speed | 11 | 10.1% |
| Interference | 7 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 4 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 4 | 3.7% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
710 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 65.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (206) 565-2056 | 16 | 2.3% |
| (888) 636-3834 | 5 | 0.7% |
| (617) 702-4454 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (586) 576-6490 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (912) 452-0013 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (352) 399-4581 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (415) 234-7397 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (531) 206-1519 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (206) 565-2056 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.