FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 May 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 745 consumer complaints on 12 May 2020 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 718 complaints the day before. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 380 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 745
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (380)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (85)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 12 May 2020 show 745 complaints originating from 540 cities across 50 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 85 | 11.4% |
| Texas | 62 | 8.3% |
| Florida | 54 | 7.2% |
| New York | 36 | 4.8% |
| Ohio | 34 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 30 | 4.0% |
| Washington | 28 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 26 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 25 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 25 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 339 | 45.5% |
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 514 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 514 | 69.0% |
| Internet | 130 | 17.4% |
| TV | 90 | 12.1% |
| Radio | 8 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
514 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 380 | 73.9% |
| Billing | 53 | 10.3% |
| Equipment | 25 | 4.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 2.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 2.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 10 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 8 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 1.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 1.0% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Equipment and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) among the most common.
Internet complaints
130 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 55 | 42.3% |
| Billing | 43 | 33.1% |
| Interference | 11 | 8.5% |
| Privacy | 10 | 7.7% |
| Speed | 10 | 7.7% |
| Equipment | 1 | 0.8% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
90 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 45.6% |
| Availability | 28 | 31.1% |
| Indecency | 9 | 10.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 8.9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 4.4% |
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.