FCC Consumer Complaints – 24 September 2020
Introduction
On 24 September 2020, 1200 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1237 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with Texas reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 738 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1200
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (738)
- Most reported state/territory
- Texas (119)
Where the complaints came from
On 24 September 2020, the 1200 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 750 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaints were spread broadly across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a significant share. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 119 | 9.9% |
| California | 117 | 9.8% |
| Florida | 88 | 7.3% |
| New York | 62 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 53 | 4.4% |
| North Carolina | 52 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 47 | 3.9% |
| New Jersey | 46 | 3.8% |
| Louisiana | 45 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 44 | 3.7% |
| Other states and territories | 526 | 43.8% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 896 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 896 | 74.7% |
| Internet | 183 | 15.3% |
| TV | 103 | 8.6% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
896 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 738 | 82.4% |
| Billing | 51 | 5.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 41 | 4.6% |
| Equipment | 20 | 2.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 9 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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
183 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 79 | 43.2% |
| Billing | 54 | 29.5% |
| Speed | 16 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 12 | 6.6% |
| Interference | 12 | 6.6% |
| Privacy | 10 | 5.5% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
103 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 33 | 32.0% |
| Billing | 32 | 31.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 15 | 14.6% |
| Equipment | 11 | 10.7% |
| Indecency | 6 | 5.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.0% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 738 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 61.5% 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 | 5 | 0.7% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (844) 989-1708 | 4 | 0.5% |
| (207) 742-2075 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (318) 333-4089 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (320) 221-8458 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (516) 474-1722 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (754) 900-5115 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 224-5941 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 340-9716 | 1 | 0.1% |
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.