FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 September 2020
Introduction
A total of 1154 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 1 September 2020, this was higher than the 1056 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with Florida recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 694 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1154
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (694)
- Most reported state/territory
- Florida (111)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 1 September 2020 show 1154 complaints originating from 785 cities across 52 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 111 | 9.6% |
| California | 106 | 9.2% |
| Texas | 94 | 8.1% |
| New York | 81 | 7.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 66 | 5.7% |
| Illinois | 43 | 3.7% |
| North Carolina | 41 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 40 | 3.5% |
| Virginia | 36 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 35 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 499 | 43.2% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 846 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 846 | 73.3% |
| Internet | 172 | 14.9% |
| TV | 85 | 7.4% |
| Radio | 37 | 3.2% |
| Emergency | 12 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
846 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 694 | 82.0% |
| Billing | 51 | 6.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 47 | 5.6% |
| Equipment | 21 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 12 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 11 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.4% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
172 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 66 | 38.4% |
| Billing | 52 | 30.2% |
| Speed | 30 | 17.4% |
| Equipment | 13 | 7.6% |
| Interference | 6 | 3.5% |
| Privacy | 5 | 2.9% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
85 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 34 | 40.0% |
| Availability | 29 | 34.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 9.4% |
| Equipment | 6 | 7.1% |
| Indecency | 5 | 5.9% |
| Interference | 3 | 3.5% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Radio complaints
37 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 3.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 23 | 62.2% |
| Availability | 6 | 16.2% |
| Interference | 3 | 8.1% |
| Pirate Radio | 3 | 8.1% |
| Billing | 1 | 2.7% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 1 | 2.7% |
Indecency and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
694 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 60.1% 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 | 0.9% |
| (888) 256-5786 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (888) 280-4331 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (208) 262-0000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (409) 239-0914 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (443) 491-8846 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (786) 706-1221 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (833) 705-1332 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (855) 584-8315 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (315) 232-8257 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- 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.