FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 October 2020
Introduction
On Monday, 12 October 2020, 1699 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 2077 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 52 states and territories, and Puerto Rico generated the highest number of submissions with 825 complaints. The most common issue reported was Indecency, accounting for 852 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1699
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Indecency (852)
- Most reported state/territory
- Puerto Rico (825)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1699 complaints were recorded on 12 October 2020, with reports originating from 655 cities in 52 states and territories. Complaint activity was somewhat more concentrated than usual, with Puerto Rico accounting for the largest share of reports. While complaints were reported across multiple cities, no individual location accounted for a significant share of the total.
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 825 | 48.6% |
| California | 105 | 6.2% |
| Texas | 85 | 5.0% |
| Florida | 80 | 4.7% |
| New York | 52 | 3.1% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 2.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 2.3% |
| Ohio | 34 | 2.0% |
| New Jersey | 32 | 1.9% |
| Georgia | 29 | 1.7% |
| Other states and territories | 378 | 22.2% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. TV accounted for the largest share, with 944 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TV | 944 | 55.6% |
| Phone | 619 | 36.4% |
| Internet | 121 | 7.1% |
| Radio | 11 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
TV complaints
944 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 55.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 848 | 89.8% |
| Availability | 52 | 5.5% |
| Billing | 20 | 2.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 6 | 0.6% |
| Interference | 5 | 0.5% |
| Equipment | 2 | 0.2% |
Indecency and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Phone complaints
619 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 36.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 526 | 85.0% |
| Billing | 31 | 5.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 17 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 14 | 2.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 8 | 1.3% |
| Privacy | 8 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 3 | 0.5% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
121 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 48 | 39.7% |
| Billing | 26 | 21.5% |
| Speed | 19 | 15.7% |
| Equipment | 12 | 9.9% |
| Interference | 11 | 9.1% |
| Privacy | 5 | 4.1% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 526 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 31% 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 | 13 | 2.5% |
| (844) 989-1708 | 9 | 1.7% |
| (208) 262-0000 | 8 | 1.5% |
| (205) 651-4624 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (217) 284-9487 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (646) 617-4121 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (855) 459-0245 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (909) 310-4188 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (970) 614-2069 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (201) 781-8731 | 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.
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.