FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 May 2020
Introduction
On 21 May 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 859 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 870 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 442 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 859
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (442)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (83)
Where the complaints came from
Across 600 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 859 complaints were recorded on 21 May 2020. Complaint activity was widely distributed across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a notable share of reports. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 83 | 9.7% |
| Texas | 81 | 9.4% |
| Florida | 54 | 6.3% |
| New York | 48 | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 4.7% |
| Arizona | 33 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 3.7% |
| Colorado | 29 | 3.4% |
| West Virginia | 29 | 3.4% |
| Ohio | 28 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 399 | 46.4% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 573 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 573 | 66.7% |
| Internet | 184 | 21.4% |
| TV | 85 | 9.9% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.5% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
573 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 66.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 442 | 77.1% |
| Billing | 37 | 6.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 28 | 4.9% |
| Equipment | 20 | 3.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 15 | 2.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 10 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 1 | 0.2% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
184 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 21.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 81 | 44.0% |
| Billing | 47 | 25.5% |
| Speed | 25 | 13.6% |
| Interference | 14 | 7.6% |
| Equipment | 9 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 8 | 4.3% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
85 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 41 | 48.2% |
| Availability | 30 | 35.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 9.4% |
| Indecency | 3 | 3.5% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1.2% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.2% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 442 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 51.5% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (508) 863-4812 | 6 | 1.4% |
| (617) 477-2420 | 3 | 0.7% |
| (866) 283-6635 | 3 | 0.7% |
| (267) 223-0148 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (512) 489-6562 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (732) 276-1838 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (202) 573-8944 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 701-1993 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 793-7459 | 1 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (508) 863-4812 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.