FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 April 2020
Introduction
On Tuesday, 21 April 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 734 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 682 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 345 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 734
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (345)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (99)
Where the complaints came from
Across 520 cities in 49 states and territories, a total of 734 complaints were recorded on 21 April 2020. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. 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 | 99 | 13.5% |
| Texas | 75 | 10.2% |
| Florida | 56 | 7.6% |
| New York | 38 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 34 | 4.6% |
| Ohio | 30 | 4.1% |
| Illinois | 29 | 4.0% |
| Maryland | 26 | 3.5% |
| Washington | 26 | 3.5% |
| Arizona | 24 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 296 | 40.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 458 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 458 | 62.4% |
| Internet | 184 | 25.1% |
| TV | 73 | 9.9% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.5% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
458 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 345 | 75.3% |
| Billing | 44 | 9.6% |
| Equipment | 22 | 4.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 3.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 14 | 3.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 1.7% |
| Privacy | 4 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
184 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 25.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 73 | 39.7% |
| Billing | 62 | 33.7% |
| Speed | 34 | 18.5% |
| Privacy | 6 | 3.3% |
| Interference | 5 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 4 | 2.2% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 39 | 53.4% |
| Availability | 18 | 24.7% |
| Indecency | 6 | 8.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.5% |
Billing and Availability 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.