FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 October 2019
Introduction
On Thursday, 17 October 2019, 1059 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1126 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 53 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 668 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1059
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (668)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (118)
Where the complaints came from
The 1059 complaints recorded on 17 October 2019 were submitted from 720 cities across 53 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 118 | 11.1% |
| Texas | 94 | 8.9% |
| Florida | 93 | 8.8% |
| New York | 67 | 6.3% |
| Ohio | 51 | 4.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 49 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 42 | 4.0% |
| Washington | 38 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 34 | 3.2% |
| Michigan | 32 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 434 | 41.0% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 836 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 836 | 78.9% |
| TV | 117 | 11.0% |
| Internet | 88 | 8.3% |
| Radio | 16 | 1.5% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
836 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 668 | 79.9% |
| Billing | 60 | 7.2% |
| Equipment | 34 | 4.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 3.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.5% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided 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
117 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 67 | 57.3% |
| Availability | 26 | 22.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 6.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 6.8% |
| Indecency | 6 | 5.1% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 43.2% |
| Availability | 31 | 35.2% |
| Speed | 7 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 5.7% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.3% |
Billing and Availability 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.