FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 October 2019
Introduction
A total of 1126 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday, 16 October 2019, this represented a decline from the 1157 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 52 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 750 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1126
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (750)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (136)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 16 October 2019 show 1126 complaints originating from 715 cities across 52 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 30 of the 50 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 | 136 | 12.1% |
| Texas | 108 | 9.6% |
| Florida | 82 | 7.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 54 | 4.8% |
| Ohio | 53 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 52 | 4.6% |
| Iowa | 50 | 4.4% |
| New York | 48 | 4.3% |
| Arizona | 35 | 3.1% |
| North Carolina | 34 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 470 | 41.7% |
Location highlight
Iowa City accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Iowa.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 900 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 900 | 79.9% |
| TV | 124 | 11.0% |
| Internet | 87 | 7.7% |
| Radio | 11 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
900 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 750 | 83.3% |
| Billing | 55 | 6.1% |
| Equipment | 30 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 28 | 3.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 1.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 0.9% |
| Privacy | 8 | 0.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.3% |
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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
TV complaints
124 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 75 | 60.5% |
| Availability | 30 | 24.2% |
| Indecency | 11 | 8.9% |
| Equipment | 5 | 4.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 1 | 0.8% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
87 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 34 | 39.1% |
| Billing | 33 | 37.9% |
| Speed | 12 | 13.8% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.3% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
A total of 750 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 66.6% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (217) 397-4225 | 16 | 2.1% |
| (319) 300-1896 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (833) 899-5275 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (302) 601-4291 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (318) 252-8804 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (480) 573-0981 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (602) 584-5305 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (712) 231-7833 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (757) 512-8269 | 2 | 0.3% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (888) 636-3834 | 15 | 2.0% |
| (206) 565-2056 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (319) 300-1896 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (410) 941-2478 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (712) 231-7833 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (757) 512-8269 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (786) 591-0601 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (831) 888-4421 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (833) 271-1806 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (888) 636-3834 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- (217) 397-4225 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.