FCC Consumer Complaints – 7 December 2019
Introduction
On 7 December 2019, 366 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 919 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 199 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 366
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (199)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (44)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 366 complaints were recorded on 7 December 2019, with reports originating from 284 cities in 47 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 44 | 12.0% |
| Texas | 42 | 11.5% |
| New York | 24 | 6.6% |
| Illinois | 21 | 5.7% |
| Florida | 18 | 4.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 18 | 4.9% |
| Georgia | 17 | 4.6% |
| North Carolina | 17 | 4.6% |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 10 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 143 | 39.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 4 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 246 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 246 | 67.2% |
| Internet | 64 | 17.5% |
| TV | 54 | 14.8% |
| Radio | 2 | 0.5% |
Phone complaints
246 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 199 | 80.9% |
| Billing | 23 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 2.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 6 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 1.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.4% |
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
64 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 26 | 40.6% |
| Billing | 19 | 29.7% |
| Speed | 15 | 23.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.6% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.6% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
54 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 21 | 38.9% |
| Availability | 16 | 29.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 14.8% |
| Interference | 4 | 7.4% |
| Indecency | 2 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 2 | 3.7% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.9% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
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.