FCC Consumer Complaints – 9 December 2020
Introduction
A total of 1187 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on 9 December 2020, this represented a decline from the 1321 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 696 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1187
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (696)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (138)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 9 December 2020 show 1187 complaints originating from 747 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 138 | 11.6% |
| Texas | 102 | 8.6% |
| New York | 90 | 7.6% |
| Florida | 78 | 6.6% |
| Virginia | 53 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 43 | 3.6% |
| Washington | 41 | 3.5% |
| Colorado | 37 | 3.1% |
| Arizona | 35 | 2.9% |
| Massachusetts | 35 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 535 | 45.1% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 857 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 857 | 72.2% |
| Internet | 180 | 15.2% |
| TV | 130 | 11.0% |
| Radio | 13 | 1.1% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
857 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 696 | 81.2% |
| Billing | 52 | 6.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 38 | 4.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 23 | 2.7% |
| Equipment | 19 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 0.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 6 | 0.7% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers).
Internet complaints
180 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 61 | 33.9% |
| Billing | 51 | 28.3% |
| Speed | 32 | 17.8% |
| Interference | 15 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 14 | 7.8% |
| Privacy | 7 | 3.9% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
130 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 64 | 49.2% |
| Billing | 35 | 26.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 16 | 12.3% |
| Interference | 7 | 5.4% |
| Equipment | 5 | 3.8% |
| Indecency | 3 | 2.3% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 696 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 58.6% 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 | 11 | 1.6% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (833) 304-1447 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (213) 437-9637 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (417) 413-1786 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 552-2546 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 555-2453 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 886-9363 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 894-6524 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (206) 208-7541 | 1 | 0.1% |
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.