FCC Consumer Complaints – 26 November 2020
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 309 consumer complaints on Thursday, 26 November 2020 relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 920 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 40 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 171 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 309
- States & territories reporting
- 40
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (171)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (39)
Where the complaints came from
On 26 November 2020, the 309 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 224 cities across 40 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, a significant concentration was observed in Iowa, where Iowa City accounted for 31 of the 33 complaints recorded.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 39 | 12.6% |
| Iowa | 33 | 10.7% |
| Texas | 23 | 7.4% |
| Florida | 19 | 6.1% |
| Ohio | 18 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 17 | 5.5% |
| Maryland | 16 | 5.2% |
| New York | 14 | 4.5% |
| Illinois | 13 | 4.2% |
| Indiana | 9 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 108 | 35.0% |
Location highlight
Complaint activity in Iowa was almost entirely concentrated in Iowa City.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 211 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 211 | 68.3% |
| Internet | 46 | 14.9% |
| TV | 40 | 12.9% |
| Radio | 7 | 2.3% |
| Emergency | 5 | 1.6% |
Phone complaints
211 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 171 | 81.0% |
| Billing | 17 | 8.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 9 | 4.3% |
| Equipment | 6 | 2.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 2.4% |
| Privacy | 3 | 1.4% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
46 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 15 | 32.6% |
| Availability | 13 | 28.3% |
| Interference | 10 | 21.7% |
| Speed | 6 | 13.0% |
| Equipment | 2 | 4.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
40 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 11 | 27.5% |
| Billing | 11 | 27.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 22.5% |
| Indecency | 4 | 10.0% |
| Interference | 4 | 10.0% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.5% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Availability, Billing and Loud Commercials.
Unwanted calls
There were 171 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 55.3% 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 | 7 | 4.1% |
| (251) 451-0954 | 2 | 1.2% |
| (619) 559-2985 | 2 | 1.2% |
| (208) 203-2690 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (210) 775-8897 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (212) 765-3198 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (219) 477-4972 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (260) 410-4679 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (301) 267-7033 | 1 | 0.6% |
| (302) 231-4715 | 1 | 0.6% |
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.