FCC Consumer Complaints – 7 August 2020

Introduction

On 7 August 2020, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1026 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 1134 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 569 complaints recorded.

Key statistics

Total complaints
1026
States & territories reporting
49
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (569)
Most reported state/territory
California (112)

Where the complaints came from

The 1026 complaints recorded on 7 August 2020 originated from 691 cities across 49 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 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 112 10.9%
Texas 100 9.7%
Florida 76 7.4%
New York 76 7.4%
New Jersey 54 5.3%
Pennsylvania 44 4.3%
North Carolina 35 3.4%
Ohio 35 3.4%
Georgia 34 3.3%
Maryland 33 3.2%
Other states and territories 421 41.0%

Location highlight

California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 78 different cities.

What the complaints were about

A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 733 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 733 71.4%
Internet 172 16.8%
TV 103 10.0%
Radio 11 1.1%
Accessibility 5 0.5%
Emergency 2 0.2%

Phone complaints

733 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.4% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 569 77.6%
Billing 46 6.3%
Equipment 37 5.0%
Availability (including rural call completion) 35 4.8%
Privacy 12 1.6%
Interference (including signal jammers) 11 1.5%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 11 1.5%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 7 1.0%
Junk Faxes 5 0.7%

As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).

Internet complaints

172 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 83 48.3%
Billing 52 30.2%
Speed 17 9.9%
Interference 9 5.2%
Equipment 8 4.7%
Privacy 3 1.7%

Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

TV complaints

103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.0% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 45 43.7%
Availability 34 33.0%
Loud Commercials 10 9.7%
Equipment 9 8.7%
Indecency 3 2.9%
Interference 2 1.9%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Unwanted calls

569 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 55.5% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.

Most reported business contact numbers

Telephone number Complaints Share
(315) 232-8257 6 1.1%
(208) 262-0000 4 0.7%
(628) 259-6791 4 0.7%
(844) 989-1708 4 0.7%
(281) 846-1505 2 0.4%
(617) 394-7895 2 0.4%
(715) 504-8464 2 0.4%
(201) 656-4252 1 0.2%
(202) 664-6421 1 0.2%
(202) 674-5383 1 0.2%

Key patterns

  • Abandoned Calls 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.
Page last updated: 8 August 2020 with FCC complaints data from 7 August 2020.

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.