FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 April 2020

Introduction

The Federal Communications Commission recorded 697 consumer complaints on 1 April 2020 relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 771 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 48 states and territories, with Texas recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.

Key statistics

Total complaints
697
States & territories reporting
48
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (295)
Most reported state/territory
Texas (79)

Where the complaints came from

Across 515 cities in 48 states and territories, a total of 697 complaints were recorded on 1 April 2020. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.

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
Texas 79 11.3%
California 62 8.9%
Florida 50 7.2%
New York 35 5.0%
Ohio 30 4.3%
North Carolina 26 3.7%
Pennsylvania 26 3.7%
Virginia 24 3.4%
Arizona 22 3.2%
Illinois 22 3.2%
Other states and territories 316 45.3%

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 419 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 419 60.1%
Internet 166 23.8%
TV 95 13.6%
Radio 13 1.9%
Accessibility 2 0.3%
Emergency 1 0.1%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

419 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 60.1% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 295 70.4%
Billing 54 12.9%
Availability (including rural call completion) 19 4.5%
Equipment 16 3.8%
Privacy 12 2.9%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 11 2.6%
Interference (including signal jammers) 6 1.4%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 4 1.0%
Junk Faxes 2 0.5%

As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.

Internet complaints

166 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 77 46.4%
Billing 47 28.3%
Speed 26 15.7%
Interference 7 4.2%
Privacy 7 4.2%
Equipment 2 1.2%

Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

TV complaints

95 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.6% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 54 56.8%
Availability 23 24.2%
Indecency 7 7.4%
Loud Commercials 6 6.3%
Interference 3 3.2%
Equipment 1 1.1%
Privacy 1 1.1%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Page last updated: 2 April 2020 with FCC complaints data from 1 April 2020.

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.