FCC Consumer Complaints – 23 October 2020
Introduction
On Friday, 23 October 2020, 1072 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 1135 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 720 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1072
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (720)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (139)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 23 October 2020 show 1072 complaints originating from 673 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 139 | 13.0% |
| Florida | 101 | 9.4% |
| Texas | 95 | 8.9% |
| New York | 60 | 5.6% |
| Virginia | 42 | 3.9% |
| Indiana | 41 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 39 | 3.6% |
| Colorado | 36 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 34 | 3.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 451 | 42.1% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 859 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 859 | 80.1% |
| Internet | 141 | 13.2% |
| TV | 60 | 5.6% |
| Radio | 8 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
859 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 80.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 720 | 83.8% |
| Billing | 49 | 5.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 32 | 3.7% |
| Equipment | 22 | 2.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.4% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.2% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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
141 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 58 | 41.1% |
| Billing | 35 | 24.8% |
| Speed | 19 | 13.5% |
| Equipment | 13 | 9.2% |
| Interference | 8 | 5.7% |
| Privacy | 8 | 5.7% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
60 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 19 | 31.7% |
| Billing | 19 | 31.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 15.0% |
| Indecency | 8 | 13.3% |
| Interference | 4 | 6.7% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.7% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 720 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 67.2% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact numbers are shown below where sufficient data is available.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (315) 232-8257 | 21 | 2.9% |
| (844) 989-1708 | 6 | 0.8% |
| (717) 751-2942 | 4 | 0.6% |
| (605) 321-9680 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (254) 472-4136 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (417) 409-2609 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (562) 202-5831 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (855) 523-6111 | 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.