FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 April 2020
Introduction
On Sunday, 19 April 2020, 252 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 297 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California recording the largest share of reports at 35 complaints. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 252
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (84)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (35)
Where the complaints came from
The 252 complaints recorded on 19 April 2020 originated from 216 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. 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 35 | 13.9% |
| New York | 17 | 6.7% |
| Florida | 16 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 12 | 4.8% |
| Kentucky | 11 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 11 | 4.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 10 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 9 | 3.6% |
| New Jersey | 8 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 8 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 115 | 45.6% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 31 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 127 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 127 | 50.4% |
| Internet | 79 | 31.3% |
| TV | 41 | 16.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.8% |
| Radio | 2 | 0.8% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
127 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 50.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 84 | 66.1% |
| Billing | 22 | 17.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 10 | 7.9% |
| Privacy | 4 | 3.1% |
| Equipment | 3 | 2.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 3 | 2.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 1 | 0.8% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Privacy.
Internet complaints
79 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 31.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 38 | 48.1% |
| Billing | 20 | 25.3% |
| Speed | 11 | 13.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 6.3% |
| Privacy | 4 | 5.1% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.3% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
41 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 14 | 34.1% |
| Billing | 13 | 31.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 14.6% |
| Indecency | 4 | 9.8% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.9% |
Availability and Billing 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.