FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 November 2019
Introduction
On Tuesday, 19 November 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1029 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 1014 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 665 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1029
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (665)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (130)
Where the complaints came from
Across 690 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1029 complaints were recorded on 19 November 2019. 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 41 of the 48 complaints recorded in the state.
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 | 130 | 12.6% |
| Texas | 88 | 8.6% |
| Florida | 61 | 5.9% |
| New York | 52 | 5.1% |
| Iowa | 48 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 45 | 4.4% |
| North Carolina | 41 | 4.0% |
| Michigan | 39 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.7% |
| Ohio | 37 | 3.6% |
| Other states and territories | 449 | 43.6% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Iowa originated from Iowa City, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 822 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 822 | 79.9% |
| Internet | 112 | 10.9% |
| TV | 78 | 7.6% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
822 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 79.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 665 | 80.9% |
| Billing | 70 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 21 | 2.6% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 1.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 14 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
112 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 44.6% |
| Availability | 34 | 30.4% |
| Speed | 11 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.1% |
| Privacy | 6 | 5.4% |
| Interference | 3 | 2.7% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
78 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 56 | 71.8% |
| Availability | 16 | 20.5% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.1% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 1 | 1.3% |
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.