FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 December 2020
Introduction
On Thursday, 3 December 2020, 1245 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 1147 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with Texas reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 649 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1245
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (649)
- Most reported state/territory
- Texas (123)
Where the complaints came from
On 3 December 2020, the 1245 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 805 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were spread broadly across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a significant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 123 | 9.9% |
| California | 115 | 9.2% |
| New York | 92 | 7.4% |
| Florida | 74 | 5.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 72 | 5.8% |
| North Carolina | 47 | 3.8% |
| Georgia | 41 | 3.3% |
| Arizona | 40 | 3.2% |
| New Jersey | 39 | 3.1% |
| Ohio | 37 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 565 | 45.4% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 5 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 845 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 845 | 67.9% |
| TV | 204 | 16.4% |
| Internet | 176 | 14.1% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.2% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
845 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 649 | 76.8% |
| Billing | 70 | 8.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 49 | 5.8% |
| Equipment | 28 | 3.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 22 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 12 | 1.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 1.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 0.4% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
TV complaints
204 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 124 | 60.8% |
| Billing | 40 | 19.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 23 | 11.3% |
| Indecency | 10 | 4.9% |
| Equipment | 3 | 1.5% |
| Interference | 3 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 1 | 0.5% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Internet complaints
176 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 72 | 40.9% |
| Billing | 61 | 34.7% |
| Speed | 17 | 9.7% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 10 | 5.7% |
| Privacy | 5 | 2.8% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 649 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 52.1% 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 | 9 | 1.4% |
| (405) 588-4194 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (603) 755-6098 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (970) 414-0535 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (201) 243-4196 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (201) 911-5336 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 464-5347 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 523-7268 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 788-7614 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 788-7677 | 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.