FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 January 2020
Introduction
A total of 1044 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 28 January 2020, this was higher than the 948 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 641 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1044
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (641)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (105)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1044 complaints were recorded on 28 January 2020, with reports originating from 709 cities in 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 105 | 10.1% |
| Florida | 78 | 7.5% |
| Texas | 73 | 7.0% |
| New York | 63 | 6.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 49 | 4.7% |
| Michigan | 41 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 41 | 3.9% |
| Virginia | 34 | 3.3% |
| Illinois | 33 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 33 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 488 | 46.7% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 802 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 802 | 76.8% |
| TV | 120 | 11.5% |
| Internet | 110 | 10.5% |
| Radio | 9 | 0.9% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
802 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 76.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 641 | 79.9% |
| Billing | 68 | 8.5% |
| Equipment | 27 | 3.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 21 | 2.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 7 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.5% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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).
TV complaints
120 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 45.8% |
| Availability | 35 | 29.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 9.2% |
| Indecency | 8 | 6.7% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.0% |
| Privacy | 3 | 2.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.7% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
110 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 43.6% |
| Availability | 33 | 30.0% |
| Privacy | 9 | 8.2% |
| Speed | 9 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.4% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.6% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 641 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 61.4% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (816) 448-9200 | 6 | 0.9% |
| (520) 379-7946 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (610) 266-4860 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (408) 960-0110 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (606) 744-9520 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (619) 205-6400 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (878) 212-5986 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (201) 256-3861 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (201) 945-0851 | 1 | 0.2% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (816) 448-9200 | 6 | 0.9% |
| (208) 262-0000 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (209) 259-2021 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (213) 766-0436 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (240) 219-8328 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (410) 972-3290 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (520) 379-7946 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (606) 744-9520 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (619) 205-6400 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (718) 307-1139 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (816) 448-9200 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (816) 448-9200 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.