FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 May 2020
Introduction
On Thursday, 28 May 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 850 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 872 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 47 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 480 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 850
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (480)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (84)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 28 May 2020 show 850 complaints originating from 590 cities across 47 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable proportion of the total. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 26 of the 33 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below shows the distribution of complaints by state and territory for this date, highlighting the locations with the highest number of reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 84 | 9.9% |
| Texas | 75 | 8.8% |
| Florida | 60 | 7.1% |
| New York | 48 | 5.6% |
| Illinois | 36 | 4.2% |
| Iowa | 33 | 3.9% |
| Virginia | 33 | 3.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 29 | 3.4% |
| Arizona | 28 | 3.3% |
| North Carolina | 27 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 392 | 46.1% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Iowa originated from Iowa City, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 602 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 602 | 70.8% |
| Internet | 146 | 17.2% |
| TV | 89 | 10.5% |
| Radio | 7 | 0.8% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
602 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 70.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 480 | 79.7% |
| Billing | 50 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 23 | 3.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 22 | 3.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 1.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 0.8% |
| Privacy | 3 | 0.5% |
| 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
146 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 64 | 43.8% |
| Billing | 49 | 33.6% |
| Speed | 16 | 11.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 5.5% |
| Interference | 7 | 4.8% |
| Privacy | 2 | 1.4% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
89 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 38 | 42.7% |
| Availability | 33 | 37.1% |
| Indecency | 7 | 7.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 3 | 3.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
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.