FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 November 2020
Introduction
On Tuesday, 3 November 2020, 1024 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 1123 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 625 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1024
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (625)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (117)
Where the complaints came from
On 3 November 2020, the 1024 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 645 cities across 50 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 table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 117 | 11.4% |
| Texas | 81 | 7.9% |
| Florida | 69 | 6.7% |
| New York | 65 | 6.3% |
| Georgia | 40 | 3.9% |
| Virginia | 40 | 3.9% |
| Washington | 39 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 36 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 33 | 3.2% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 467 | 45.6% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 778 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 778 | 76.0% |
| Internet | 134 | 13.1% |
| TV | 90 | 8.8% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 6 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
778 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 76.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 625 | 80.3% |
| Billing | 56 | 7.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 31 | 4.0% |
| Equipment | 25 | 3.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 2.1% |
| Privacy | 10 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.5% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
134 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 62 | 46.3% |
| Billing | 34 | 25.4% |
| Speed | 19 | 14.2% |
| Equipment | 9 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 6 | 4.5% |
| Privacy | 4 | 3.0% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
90 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 35 | 38.9% |
| Availability | 25 | 27.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 12 | 13.3% |
| Equipment | 7 | 7.8% |
| Indecency | 6 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 4 | 4.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
625 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 61% 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 | 17 | 2.7% |
| (202) 381-9605 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (719) 452-8970 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (801) 893-7821 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (201) 392-4519 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (201) 951-3729 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (201) 967-0905 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 697-7541 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 796-5878 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (205) 606-8406 | 1 | 0.2% |
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.