FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 April 2020
Introduction
A total of 304 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 4 April 2020, this was lower than the 635 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 40 states and territories, with Texas reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints relating to Unwanted Calls were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 304
- States & territories reporting
- 40
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (94)
- Most reported state/territory
- Texas (39)
Where the complaints came from
Across 242 cities in 40 states and territories, a total of 304 complaints were recorded on 4 April 2020. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 39 | 12.8% |
| California | 26 | 8.6% |
| Colorado | 18 | 5.9% |
| New York | 15 | 4.9% |
| Florida | 13 | 4.3% |
| Illinois | 13 | 4.3% |
| Washington | 13 | 4.3% |
| Arizona | 12 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 12 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 3.9% |
| Other states and territories | 130 | 42.8% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 148 complaints. This was followed by Internet, which accounted for 86 complaints.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 148 | 48.7% |
| Internet | 86 | 28.3% |
| TV | 57 | 18.8% |
| Radio | 9 | 3.0% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 1.3% |
Phone complaints
148 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 48.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 94 | 63.5% |
| Billing | 21 | 14.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 5.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 7 | 4.7% |
| Equipment | 7 | 4.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 4.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 2 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 1 | 0.7% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) and Availability (including rural call completion) among the most common.
Internet complaints
86 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 28.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 30 | 34.9% |
| Billing | 22 | 25.6% |
| Speed | 22 | 25.6% |
| Interference | 9 | 10.5% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.2% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
57 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 30 | 52.6% |
| Indecency | 13 | 22.8% |
| Availability | 8 | 14.0% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 3.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 3.5% |
Billing and Indecency 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.