FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 November 2019
Introduction
On Sunday, 3 November 2019, 253 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 364 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 42 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 253
- States & territories reporting
- 42
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (85)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (36)
Where the complaints came from
On 3 November 2019, the 253 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 203 cities across 42 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. 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 | 36 | 14.2% |
| New York | 34 | 13.4% |
| Florida | 15 | 5.9% |
| Texas | 15 | 5.9% |
| Illinois | 14 | 5.5% |
| North Carolina | 12 | 4.7% |
| Ohio | 12 | 4.7% |
| Washington | 11 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 8 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 8 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 87 | 34.4% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 29 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 132 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 132 | 52.2% |
| Internet | 58 | 22.9% |
| TV | 53 | 20.9% |
| Radio | 7 | 2.8% |
| Emergency | 3 | 1.2% |
Phone complaints
132 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 52.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 85 | 64.4% |
| Billing | 15 | 11.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 9 | 6.8% |
| Equipment | 8 | 6.1% |
| Privacy | 5 | 3.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 3.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 3.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 1 | 0.8% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.8% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
58 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 48.3% |
| Availability | 13 | 22.4% |
| Interference | 6 | 10.3% |
| Speed | 6 | 10.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 6.9% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
53 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 20.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 24 | 45.3% |
| Billing | 20 | 37.7% |
| Indecency | 4 | 7.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 3.8% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.9% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.9% |
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.