FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 December 2019
Introduction
On 16 December 2019, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 683 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 251 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 48 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 386 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 683
- States & territories reporting
- 48
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (386)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (70)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 683 complaints were recorded on 16 December 2019, with reports originating from 515 cities in 48 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. 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 | 70 | 10.2% |
| Texas | 63 | 9.2% |
| Florida | 56 | 8.2% |
| New York | 39 | 5.7% |
| Illinois | 38 | 5.6% |
| Georgia | 34 | 5.0% |
| New Jersey | 27 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | 4.0% |
| Ohio | 25 | 3.7% |
| Tennessee | 22 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 282 | 41.3% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 57 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 502 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 502 | 73.5% |
| Internet | 95 | 13.9% |
| TV | 73 | 10.7% |
| Radio | 9 | 1.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
502 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 386 | 76.9% |
| Billing | 46 | 9.2% |
| Equipment | 27 | 5.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 17 | 3.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 3.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 1.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.2% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 43.2% |
| Availability | 26 | 27.4% |
| Speed | 14 | 14.7% |
| Privacy | 6 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 5 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.2% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 35 | 47.9% |
| Availability | 27 | 37.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 5.5% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.7% |
| Indecency | 2 | 2.7% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.4% |
Billing and Availability 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.