FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 December 2019
Introduction
A total of 839 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, 19 December 2019, complaint volume fell from 921 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with Florida reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 466 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 839
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (466)
- Most reported state/territory
- Florida (81)
Where the complaints came from
The 839 complaints recorded on 19 December 2019 originated from 574 cities across 47 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable proportion of the total. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 29 of the 39 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 81 | 9.7% |
| California | 78 | 9.3% |
| New York | 45 | 5.4% |
| Texas | 45 | 5.4% |
| Iowa | 39 | 4.6% |
| Ohio | 36 | 4.3% |
| Colorado | 35 | 4.2% |
| North Carolina | 33 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 32 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | 3.7% |
| Other states and territories | 382 | 45.5% |
Location highlights
- Iowa City accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Iowa.
- Complaints in California were reported across 63 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 598 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 598 | 71.3% |
| Internet | 118 | 14.1% |
| TV | 86 | 10.3% |
| Radio | 31 | 3.7% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.6% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
598 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 466 | 77.9% |
| Billing | 60 | 10.0% |
| Equipment | 24 | 4.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 21 | 3.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 10 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 4 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 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 Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
Internet complaints
118 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 46 | 39.0% |
| Billing | 38 | 32.2% |
| Speed | 14 | 11.9% |
| Equipment | 8 | 6.8% |
| Privacy | 7 | 5.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.2% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 45.3% |
| Availability | 33 | 38.4% |
| Indecency | 8 | 9.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 2.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.2% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
31 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 14 | 45.2% |
| Availability | 9 | 29.0% |
| Interference | 4 | 12.9% |
| Billing | 2 | 6.5% |
| Pirate Radio | 2 | 6.5% |
Indecency 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.