FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 January 2020
Introduction
On Thursday, 16 January 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 973 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 957 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 618 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 973
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (618)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (131)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 16 January 2020 show 973 complaints originating from 666 cities across 51 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, a significant concentration was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 22 of the 31 complaints recorded.
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 | 131 | 13.5% |
| Florida | 82 | 8.4% |
| Texas | 80 | 8.2% |
| New York | 53 | 5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 42 | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 39 | 4.0% |
| North Carolina | 37 | 3.8% |
| Washington | 32 | 3.3% |
| Iowa | 31 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 31 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 412 | 42.3% |
Location highlight
Iowa City accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Iowa.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 763 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 763 | 78.4% |
| TV | 95 | 9.8% |
| Internet | 93 | 9.6% |
| Radio | 20 | 2.1% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
763 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 618 | 81.0% |
| Billing | 60 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 25 | 3.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 2.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.5% |
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.
TV complaints
95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 57.9% |
| Availability | 27 | 28.4% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.2% |
| Indecency | 4 | 4.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
93 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 36 | 38.7% |
| Availability | 24 | 25.8% |
| Speed | 12 | 12.9% |
| Interference | 11 | 11.8% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.4% |
| Privacy | 5 | 5.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
A total of 618 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 63.5% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (208) 262-0000 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (702) 613-0542 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (859) 251-6833 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (888) 878-7054 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (908) 274-0243 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (201) 742-8878 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (205) 584-0103 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (206) 277-6225 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (206) 337-0924 | 1 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (208) 262-0000 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.