FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 October 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 406 consumer complaints on Saturday, 19 October 2019 relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 867 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 48 states and territories, with California recording the largest share of reports at 62 complaints. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 216 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 406
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (216)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (62)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 19 October 2019 show 406 complaints originating from 316 cities across 48 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 62 | 15.3% |
| North Carolina | 28 | 6.9% |
| Florida | 25 | 6.2% |
| Texas | 23 | 5.7% |
| New York | 19 | 4.7% |
| Arizona | 17 | 4.2% |
| Illinois | 15 | 3.7% |
| Georgia | 14 | 3.4% |
| Indiana | 13 | 3.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 177 | 43.6% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 41 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 275 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 275 | 67.7% |
| TV | 68 | 16.7% |
| Internet | 50 | 12.3% |
| Radio | 9 | 2.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
275 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 216 | 78.5% |
| Billing | 18 | 6.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 13 | 4.7% |
| Equipment | 13 | 4.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 1.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 1.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.4% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
TV complaints
68 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 33 | 48.5% |
| Billing | 20 | 29.4% |
| Indecency | 7 | 10.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 19 | 38.0% |
| Availability | 18 | 36.0% |
| Speed | 6 | 12.0% |
| Equipment | 4 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.0% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.