FCC Consumer Complaints – 14 February 2020
Introduction
On Friday, 14 February 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 840 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 1002 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 511 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 840
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (511)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (94)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 14 February 2020 show 840 complaints originating from 590 cities across 47 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. 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 | 94 | 11.2% |
| Texas | 80 | 9.5% |
| Florida | 63 | 7.5% |
| New York | 44 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 36 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 33 | 3.9% |
| Illinois | 32 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 29 | 3.5% |
| Michigan | 26 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 366 | 43.6% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 67 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 636 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 636 | 75.7% |
| Internet | 105 | 12.5% |
| TV | 90 | 10.7% |
| Radio | 8 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
636 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 75.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 511 | 80.3% |
| Billing | 60 | 9.4% |
| Equipment | 20 | 3.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 17 | 2.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.6% |
| Privacy | 3 | 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
105 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 42 | 40.0% |
| Availability | 34 | 32.4% |
| Interference | 9 | 8.6% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.7% |
| Speed | 7 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 6 | 5.7% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
90 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 61.1% |
| Indecency | 16 | 17.8% |
| Availability | 7 | 7.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 4.4% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.3% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.2% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Indecency, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.