FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 August 2020
Introduction
On Monday, 3 August 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1015 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 317 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 53 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 541 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1015
- States & territories reporting
- 53
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (541)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (121)
Where the complaints came from
On 3 August 2020, the 1015 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 669 cities across 53 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | 121 | 11.9% |
| Texas | 100 | 9.9% |
| Florida | 75 | 7.4% |
| New York | 59 | 5.8% |
| Arizona | 56 | 5.5% |
| Georgia | 41 | 4.0% |
| Colorado | 38 | 3.7% |
| New Jersey | 37 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 34 | 3.3% |
| Washington | 29 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 418 | 41.2% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 724 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 724 | 71.3% |
| Internet | 182 | 17.9% |
| TV | 99 | 9.8% |
| Radio | 9 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
724 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 541 | 74.7% |
| Billing | 51 | 7.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 47 | 6.5% |
| Equipment | 28 | 3.9% |
| Junk Faxes | 20 | 2.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 2.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 7 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.6% |
| Rural Call Completion | 3 | 0.4% |
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, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
182 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 82 | 45.1% |
| Billing | 48 | 26.4% |
| Speed | 23 | 12.6% |
| Equipment | 13 | 7.1% |
| Interference | 12 | 6.6% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.2% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
99 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 49 | 49.5% |
| Availability | 27 | 27.3% |
| Equipment | 9 | 9.1% |
| Interference | 6 | 6.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 5.1% |
| Indecency | 3 | 3.0% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 541 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 53.3% 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 business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (315) 232-8257 | 7 | 1.3% |
| (208) 262-0000 | 4 | 0.7% |
| (970) 863-8093 | 4 | 0.7% |
| (209) 546-2034 | 3 | 0.6% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (866) 606-2331 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (888) 506-0877 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (909) 377-0294 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (936) 342-0503 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (201) 351-4516 | 1 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (315) 232-8257 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.