FCC Consumer Complaints – 13 October 2020
Introduction
A total of 1337 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 13 October 2020, this was lower than the 1699 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with Puerto Rico recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 715 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1337
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (715)
- Most reported state/territory
- Puerto Rico (163)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1337 complaints were recorded on 13 October 2020, with reports originating from 819 cities in 51 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 163 | 12.2% |
| New York | 111 | 8.3% |
| California | 94 | 7.0% |
| Texas | 91 | 6.8% |
| Florida | 79 | 5.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 62 | 4.6% |
| North Carolina | 61 | 4.6% |
| Illinois | 41 | 3.1% |
| New Jersey | 40 | 3.0% |
| Ohio | 39 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 554 | 41.4% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 884 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 884 | 66.1% |
| TV | 264 | 19.7% |
| Internet | 163 | 12.2% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 6 | 0.4% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
884 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 66.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 715 | 80.9% |
| Billing | 48 | 5.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 42 | 4.8% |
| Equipment | 28 | 3.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 14 | 1.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 10 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 0.8% |
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.
TV complaints
264 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 170 | 64.4% |
| Billing | 37 | 14.0% |
| Availability | 34 | 12.9% |
| Equipment | 10 | 3.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 3.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 1.9% |
Indecency and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
163 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 83 | 50.9% |
| Billing | 35 | 21.5% |
| Speed | 17 | 10.4% |
| Interference | 12 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 3.1% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
715 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 53.5% 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 | 11 | 1.5% |
| (844) 989-1708 | 5 | 0.7% |
| (208) 262-0000 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (414) 635-6925 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (210) 866-9484 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (262) 717-6665 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (407) 863-9943 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (541) 253-4465 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (603) 755-6098 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 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.