FCC Consumer Complaints – 21 September 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 1016 consumer complaints on Monday, 21 September 2020 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 367 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with Texas recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 600 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1016
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (600)
- Most reported state/territory
- Texas (94)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 21 September 2020 show 1016 complaints originating from 688 cities across 51 states and territories. The complaints were widely dispersed, with no single state or territory representing a notable proportion of the total. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 25 of the 33 complaints recorded in the state.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 94 | 9.3% |
| California | 79 | 7.8% |
| Florida | 77 | 7.6% |
| Ohio | 69 | 6.8% |
| New York | 57 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 38 | 3.7% |
| Iowa | 33 | 3.2% |
| Arizona | 31 | 3.1% |
| Illinois | 31 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 468 | 46.1% |
Location highlight
Complaints in Iowa were heavily concentrated in Iowa City, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 745 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 745 | 73.3% |
| Internet | 178 | 17.5% |
| TV | 76 | 7.5% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.2% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
745 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 600 | 80.5% |
| Billing | 50 | 6.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 4.4% |
| Equipment | 28 | 3.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 0.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided 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
178 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 17.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 83 | 46.6% |
| Billing | 49 | 27.5% |
| Speed | 24 | 13.5% |
| Equipment | 10 | 5.6% |
| Interference | 8 | 4.5% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.2% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
76 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 29 | 38.2% |
| Billing | 25 | 32.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 10 | 13.2% |
| Indecency | 6 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.3% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.6% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 600 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 59.1% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (208) 262-0000 | 9 | 1.5% |
| (315) 232-8257 | 9 | 1.5% |
| (844) 989-1708 | 4 | 0.7% |
| (248) 384-9089 | 3 | 0.5% |
| (480) 877-3836 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (813) 212-4513 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 843-5999 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (203) 216-4518 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (205) 878-3777 | 1 | 0.2% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Several business contact numbers were reported multiple times, with no single number clearly ahead of the others.
- 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.