FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 October 2019
Introduction
A total of 412 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday, 12 October 2019, this represented a decline from the 1068 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 45 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 203 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 412
- States & territories reporting
- 45
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (203)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (40)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 412 complaints were recorded on 12 October 2019, with reports originating from 319 cities in 45 states and territories. Complaints were spread broadly across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a significant share. 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 | 40 | 9.7% |
| Florida | 36 | 8.7% |
| New York | 28 | 6.8% |
| Texas | 28 | 6.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 22 | 5.3% |
| New Jersey | 21 | 5.1% |
| Washington | 18 | 4.4% |
| North Carolina | 17 | 4.1% |
| Illinois | 15 | 3.6% |
| Alabama | 12 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 175 | 42.5% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 266 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 266 | 64.6% |
| TV | 81 | 19.7% |
| Internet | 56 | 13.6% |
| Radio | 5 | 1.2% |
| Emergency | 4 | 1.0% |
Phone complaints
266 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 64.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 203 | 76.3% |
| Billing | 21 | 7.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 14 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 11 | 4.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 6 | 2.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.8% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
81 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 36 | 44.4% |
| Availability | 33 | 40.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.9% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.2% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.2% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
56 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 25 | 44.6% |
| Billing | 17 | 30.4% |
| Speed | 5 | 8.9% |
| Privacy | 4 | 7.1% |
| Equipment | 3 | 5.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 3.6% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.