FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 January 2020
Introduction
On Tuesday, 21 January 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 966 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 634 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 609 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 966
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (609)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (113)
Where the complaints came from
Across 654 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 966 complaints were recorded on 21 January 2020. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 24 of the 34 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 113 | 11.7% |
| Texas | 75 | 7.8% |
| Florida | 65 | 6.7% |
| Ohio | 42 | 4.3% |
| New Jersey | 40 | 4.1% |
| New York | 39 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 4.0% |
| Arizona | 37 | 3.8% |
| Illinois | 37 | 3.8% |
| Iowa | 34 | 3.5% |
| Other states and territories | 442 | 45.8% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Iowa originated from Iowa City, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 760 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 760 | 78.7% |
| TV | 96 | 9.9% |
| Internet | 92 | 9.5% |
| Radio | 10 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
760 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 609 | 80.1% |
| Billing | 57 | 7.5% |
| Equipment | 24 | 3.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 23 | 3.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 22 | 2.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.7% |
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.
TV complaints
96 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 49 | 51.0% |
| Availability | 29 | 30.2% |
| Equipment | 8 | 8.3% |
| Indecency | 4 | 4.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.2% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 37.0% |
| Availability | 32 | 34.8% |
| Interference | 8 | 8.7% |
| Privacy | 8 | 8.7% |
| Speed | 8 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.2% |
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.