FCC Consumer Complaints – 23 March 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 457 consumer complaints on Monday, 23 March 2020 relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 215 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 457
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (175)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (40)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 457 complaints were recorded on 23 March 2020, with reports originating from 360 cities in 49 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 40 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 37 | 8.1% |
| New York | 31 | 6.8% |
| Florida | 30 | 6.6% |
| Illinois | 22 | 4.8% |
| New Jersey | 22 | 4.8% |
| Virginia | 20 | 4.4% |
| Iowa | 18 | 3.9% |
| Colorado | 17 | 3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 3.5% |
| Other states and territories | 200 | 43.8% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 283 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 283 | 61.9% |
| Internet | 108 | 23.6% |
| TV | 57 | 12.5% |
| Radio | 5 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.7% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
283 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 61.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 175 | 61.8% |
| Billing | 29 | 10.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 7.1% |
| Equipment | 19 | 6.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 14 | 4.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 3.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 2.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 4 | 1.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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 Equipment.
Internet complaints
108 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 38 | 35.2% |
| Billing | 37 | 34.3% |
| Speed | 15 | 13.9% |
| Privacy | 8 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.6% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.7% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
57 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 29 | 50.9% |
| Availability | 16 | 28.1% |
| Indecency | 5 | 8.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.5% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.8% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.8% |
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.