FCC Consumer Complaints – 6 January 2020
Introduction
A total of 725 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Monday, 6 January 2020, complaint volume increased from 256 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 385 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 725
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (385)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (83)
Where the complaints came from
On 6 January 2020, the 725 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 561 cities across 49 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. 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 | 83 | 11.4% |
| Florida | 65 | 9.0% |
| Texas | 59 | 8.1% |
| New York | 47 | 6.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 38 | 5.2% |
| Michigan | 33 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 28 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 27 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 27 | 3.7% |
| Colorado | 19 | 2.6% |
| Other states and territories | 295 | 40.7% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 534 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 534 | 73.7% |
| Internet | 88 | 12.1% |
| TV | 88 | 12.1% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.7% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
534 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 385 | 72.1% |
| Billing | 59 | 11.0% |
| Equipment | 27 | 5.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 24 | 4.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 2.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.4% |
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. 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
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 43.2% |
| Availability | 32 | 36.4% |
| Speed | 9 | 10.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 6.8% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 49 | 55.7% |
| Availability | 24 | 27.3% |
| Indecency | 7 | 8.0% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 2.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.1% |
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.