FCC Consumer Complaints – 20 December 2020
Introduction
On 20 December 2020, 249 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 403 complaints recorded the day before. Submissions were made from 39 states and territories, with California accounting for the highest number of complaints at 39. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 104 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 249
- States & territories reporting
- 39
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (104)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (39)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 20 December 2020 show 249 complaints originating from 191 cities across 39 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 39 | 15.7% |
| New York | 18 | 7.2% |
| Florida | 16 | 6.4% |
| Kentucky | 13 | 5.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 13 | 5.2% |
| Texas | 13 | 5.2% |
| New Jersey | 11 | 4.4% |
| Georgia | 10 | 4.0% |
| Ohio | 9 | 3.6% |
| Indiana | 8 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 99 | 39.8% |
Location highlight
Complaints in California were reported across 28 cities, the widest spread observed on this date.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 5 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 156 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 156 | 62.7% |
| Internet | 48 | 19.3% |
| TV | 37 | 14.9% |
| Radio | 6 | 2.4% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.8% |
Phone complaints
156 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 104 | 66.7% |
| Billing | 19 | 12.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 11 | 7.1% |
| Equipment | 7 | 4.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 3.2% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 3 | 1.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 1.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.6% |
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. 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
48 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 21 | 43.8% |
| Availability | 12 | 25.0% |
| Speed | 7 | 14.6% |
| Interference | 5 | 10.4% |
| Privacy | 2 | 4.2% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.1% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
37 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 35.1% |
| Availability | 11 | 29.7% |
| Billing | 7 | 18.9% |
| Indecency | 4 | 10.8% |
| Interference | 2 | 5.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Loud Commercials and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.