FCC Consumer Complaints – 2 October 2020
Introduction
A total of 996 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Friday, 2 October 2020, this represented a decline from the 1253 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 632 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 996
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (632)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (118)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 2 October 2020 show 996 complaints originating from 679 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. 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 | 118 | 11.8% |
| Texas | 82 | 8.2% |
| New York | 70 | 7.0% |
| Florida | 62 | 6.2% |
| North Carolina | 48 | 4.8% |
| Georgia | 40 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 38 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 36 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 30 | 3.0% |
| Arizona | 29 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 441 | 44.3% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 82 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 778 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 778 | 78.1% |
| Internet | 112 | 11.2% |
| TV | 97 | 9.7% |
| Radio | 7 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
778 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 78.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 632 | 81.2% |
| Billing | 52 | 6.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 35 | 4.5% |
| Equipment | 18 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 1.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.1% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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
112 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 40 | 35.7% |
| Billing | 39 | 34.8% |
| Speed | 14 | 12.5% |
| Equipment | 8 | 7.1% |
| Privacy | 7 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 4 | 3.6% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
97 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 43 | 44.3% |
| Availability | 36 | 37.1% |
| Indecency | 7 | 7.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 6.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 3 | 3.1% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.0% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.