FCC Consumer Complaints – 6 December 2019
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 919 consumer complaints on 6 December 2019 relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1018 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 555 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 919
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (555)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (115)
Where the complaints came from
The 919 complaints recorded on 6 December 2019 were submitted from 635 cities across 52 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 115 | 12.5% |
| Florida | 70 | 7.6% |
| Texas | 69 | 7.5% |
| New York | 44 | 4.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 37 | 4.0% |
| Ohio | 34 | 3.7% |
| Michigan | 32 | 3.5% |
| Illinois | 31 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 30 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 27 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 430 | 46.8% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 717 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 717 | 78.0% |
| Internet | 101 | 11.0% |
| TV | 88 | 9.6% |
| Radio | 10 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
717 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 555 | 77.4% |
| Billing | 60 | 8.4% |
| Equipment | 32 | 4.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 27 | 3.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 13 | 1.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
Internet complaints
101 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 38.6% |
| Availability | 30 | 29.7% |
| Equipment | 14 | 13.9% |
| Speed | 7 | 6.9% |
| Privacy | 6 | 5.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.0% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 46.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 17 | 19.3% |
| Availability | 15 | 17.0% |
| Indecency | 8 | 9.1% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.3% |
Billing and Loud Commercials were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 555 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 60.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (657) 400-3217 | 5 | 0.9% |
| (717) 315-3222 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (814) 667-4520 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (984) 241-6165 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (530) 208-5940 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (651) 424-0493 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (704) 684-8233 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (800) 275-2273 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (800) 692-7753 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (801) 902-3100 | 2 | 0.4% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (657) 400-3217 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.