FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 February 2021
Introduction
On 4 February 2021, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1156 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 1142 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 771 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1156
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (771)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (150)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 4 February 2021 show 1156 complaints originating from 731 cities across 50 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 | 150 | 13.0% |
| Texas | 93 | 8.0% |
| Florida | 92 | 8.0% |
| New York | 67 | 5.8% |
| Georgia | 50 | 4.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 46 | 4.0% |
| Illinois | 43 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 41 | 3.5% |
| Arizona | 37 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 35 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 497 | 43.0% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 901 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 901 | 77.9% |
| Internet | 145 | 12.5% |
| TV | 88 | 7.6% |
| Radio | 11 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 8 | 0.7% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
901 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 771 | 85.6% |
| Billing | 44 | 4.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 35 | 3.9% |
| Equipment | 21 | 2.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 10 | 1.1% |
| Privacy | 6 | 0.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 4 | 0.4% |
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
145 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 54 | 37.2% |
| Availability | 37 | 25.5% |
| Speed | 30 | 20.7% |
| Equipment | 9 | 6.2% |
| Interference | 9 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 6 | 4.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
88 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 31 | 35.2% |
| Availability | 28 | 31.8% |
| Loud Commercials | 15 | 17.0% |
| Equipment | 9 | 10.2% |
| Indecency | 3 | 3.4% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.1% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 771 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 66.7% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (714) 694-7603 | 10 | 1.3% |
| (315) 232-8257 | 6 | 0.8% |
| (555) 555-5555 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (562) 433-2736 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (204) 986-6222 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (208) 203-6404 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (210) 637-0033 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (332) 213-2019 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (469) 797-6402 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (562) 330-2013 | 2 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (714) 694-7603 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- 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.