FCC Consumer Complaints – 22 February 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 321 consumer complaints on Saturday, 22 February 2020 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1037 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 44 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 188 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 321
- States & territories reporting
- 44
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (188)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (44)
Where the complaints came from
The 321 complaints recorded on 22 February 2020 originated from 253 cities across 44 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. 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 | 44 | 13.7% |
| Texas | 30 | 9.3% |
| Ohio | 23 | 7.2% |
| Florida | 20 | 6.2% |
| Illinois | 19 | 5.9% |
| New York | 17 | 5.3% |
| New Jersey | 15 | 4.7% |
| North Carolina | 14 | 4.4% |
| Massachusetts | 12 | 3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 3.7% |
| Other states and territories | 115 | 35.8% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 240 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 240 | 74.8% |
| TV | 43 | 13.4% |
| Internet | 30 | 9.3% |
| Radio | 6 | 1.9% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.6% |
Phone complaints
240 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 188 | 78.3% |
| Billing | 20 | 8.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 10 | 4.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 3.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 2.1% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.7% |
| Equipment | 3 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 1 | 0.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.4% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
TV complaints
43 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 18 | 41.9% |
| Availability | 13 | 30.2% |
| Indecency | 5 | 11.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 11.6% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Internet complaints
30 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 17 | 56.7% |
| Availability | 8 | 26.7% |
| Interference | 2 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 2 | 6.7% |
| Speed | 1 | 3.3% |
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.