FCC Consumer Complaints – 20 May 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 870 consumer complaints on Wednesday, 20 May 2020 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 811 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 380 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 870
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (380)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (103)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 20 May 2020 show 870 complaints originating from 611 cities across 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 | 103 | 11.8% |
| West Virginia | 73 | 8.4% |
| Texas | 66 | 7.6% |
| New York | 53 | 6.1% |
| North Carolina | 47 | 5.4% |
| Florida | 43 | 4.9% |
| Illinois | 37 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 30 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 27 | 3.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 361 | 41.5% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 74 different cities.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 539 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 539 | 62.0% |
| Internet | 227 | 26.1% |
| TV | 89 | 10.2% |
| Radio | 10 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
539 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 380 | 70.5% |
| Billing | 66 | 12.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 25 | 4.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 20 | 3.7% |
| Equipment | 19 | 3.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.7% |
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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
Internet complaints
227 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 26.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 85 | 37.4% |
| Billing | 66 | 29.1% |
| Speed | 45 | 19.8% |
| Equipment | 13 | 5.7% |
| Interference | 13 | 5.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 2.2% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
89 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 53.9% |
| Availability | 27 | 30.3% |
| Indecency | 5 | 5.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 5.6% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
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.