FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 July 2020
Introduction
On 21 July 2020, 1171 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 1018 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 664 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1171
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (664)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (136)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1171 complaints were recorded on 21 July 2020, with reports originating from 752 cities in 52 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
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 | 136 | 11.6% |
| Texas | 125 | 10.7% |
| Florida | 98 | 8.4% |
| New York | 59 | 5.0% |
| Ohio | 55 | 4.7% |
| Arizona | 46 | 3.9% |
| North Carolina | 45 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 42 | 3.6% |
| Illinois | 40 | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 37 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 481 | 41.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 835 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 835 | 71.3% |
| Internet | 226 | 19.3% |
| TV | 88 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 20 | 1.7% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
835 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 664 | 79.5% |
| Billing | 52 | 6.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 44 | 5.3% |
| Equipment | 31 | 3.7% |
| Privacy | 12 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 11 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
226 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 84 | 37.2% |
| Billing | 74 | 32.7% |
| Speed | 34 | 15.0% |
| Interference | 17 | 7.5% |
| Privacy | 9 | 4.0% |
| Equipment | 8 | 3.5% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 33 | 37.5% |
| Availability | 28 | 31.8% |
| Indecency | 9 | 10.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 9.1% |
| Equipment | 6 | 6.8% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.5% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 664 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 56.7% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (208) 262-0000 | 9 | 1.4% |
| (315) 232-8257 | 6 | 0.9% |
| (214) 570-1339 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (844) 204-9279 | 5 | 0.8% |
| (800) 555-3333 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (407) 708-3631 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (662) 304-8076 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (855) 233-0333 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (917) 704-3572 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Abandoned Calls was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (208) 262-0000 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.