FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 March 2021
Introduction
On 18 March 2021, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1456 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 1414 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 52 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 818 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1456
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (818)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (158)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 18 March 2021 show 1456 complaints originating from 969 cities across 52 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 | 158 | 10.9% |
| Texas | 147 | 10.1% |
| Florida | 112 | 7.7% |
| New York | 83 | 5.7% |
| Virginia | 66 | 4.5% |
| Illinois | 56 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 56 | 3.8% |
| Ohio | 49 | 3.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 48 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 47 | 3.2% |
| Other states and territories | 632 | 43.4% |
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 959 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 959 | 65.9% |
| TV | 345 | 23.7% |
| Internet | 138 | 9.5% |
| Radio | 9 | 0.6% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
959 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 818 | 85.3% |
| Billing | 43 | 4.5% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 34 | 3.5% |
| Equipment | 24 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 14 | 1.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 0.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 0.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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 Equipment.
TV complaints
345 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Indecency | 247 | 71.6% |
| Availability | 49 | 14.2% |
| Billing | 29 | 8.4% |
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 3.8% |
| Equipment | 4 | 1.2% |
| Privacy | 2 | 0.6% |
| Interference | 1 | 0.3% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Indecency and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Internet complaints
138 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 49 | 35.5% |
| Billing | 46 | 33.3% |
| Speed | 16 | 11.6% |
| Interference | 14 | 10.1% |
| Equipment | 8 | 5.8% |
| Privacy | 5 | 3.6% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
Unwanted calls
818 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 56.2% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (833) 304-1447 | 10 | 1.2% |
| (315) 232-8257 | 6 | 0.7% |
| (513) 547-7514 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (701) 850-8622 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (720) 414-9361 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (877) 287-1090 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (903) 345-3904 | 2 | 0.2% |
| (202) 221-4093 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 455-6223 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 464-5347 | 1 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (833) 304-1447 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.