FCC Consumer Complaints – 20 April 2020
Introduction
On Monday, 20 April 2020, 682 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 252 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 682
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (256)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (80)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 682 complaints were recorded on 20 April 2020, with reports originating from 520 cities in 50 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 80 | 11.7% |
| Texas | 76 | 11.1% |
| Florida | 61 | 8.9% |
| New York | 48 | 7.0% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 4.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 21 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 21 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 20 | 2.9% |
| Ohio | 20 | 2.9% |
| Arizona | 19 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 275 | 40.3% |
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 394 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 394 | 57.8% |
| Internet | 158 | 23.2% |
| TV | 105 | 15.4% |
| Radio | 17 | 2.5% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 3 | 0.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
394 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 57.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 256 | 65.0% |
| Billing | 61 | 15.5% |
| Equipment | 25 | 6.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 23 | 5.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 9 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.8% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
158 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 56 | 35.4% |
| Billing | 56 | 35.4% |
| Speed | 30 | 19.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 5.1% |
| Interference | 4 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.5% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
105 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 64 | 61.0% |
| Availability | 25 | 23.8% |
| Indecency | 9 | 8.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 2.9% |
| Equipment | 2 | 1.9% |
| Interference | 2 | 1.9% |
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.