FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 April 2021
Introduction
A total of 1154 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, 1 April 2021, complaint volume fell from 1229 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 51 states and territories, with California recording the largest share of reports at 199 complaints. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 792 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1154
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (792)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (199)
Where the complaints came from
Across 687 cities in 51 states and territories, a total of 1154 complaints were recorded on 1 April 2021. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Maryland, where Baltimore accounted for 60 of the 82 complaints recorded.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 199 | 17.2% |
| Texas | 85 | 7.4% |
| Maryland | 82 | 7.1% |
| Florida | 66 | 5.7% |
| New York | 57 | 4.9% |
| Michigan | 42 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 41 | 3.6% |
| Iowa | 40 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 37 | 3.2% |
| Washington | 35 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 467 | 40.5% |
Location highlight
Complaints in Maryland were heavily concentrated in Baltimore, which accounted for the majority of reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 936 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 936 | 81.1% |
| Internet | 133 | 11.5% |
| TV | 68 | 5.9% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
936 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 81.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 792 | 84.6% |
| Billing | 39 | 4.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 32 | 3.4% |
| Equipment | 24 | 2.6% |
| Privacy | 14 | 1.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 5 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.2% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
133 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 55 | 41.4% |
| Billing | 37 | 27.8% |
| Interference | 13 | 9.8% |
| Speed | 13 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 8 | 6.0% |
| Privacy | 7 | 5.3% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
68 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 21 | 30.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 20 | 29.4% |
| Availability | 14 | 20.6% |
| Indecency | 7 | 10.3% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.4% |
| Interference | 2 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.5% |
Billing and Loud Commercials were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
A total of 792 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, representing 68.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| (833) 304-1447 | 6 | 0.8% |
| (405) 266-7570 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (949) 287-4311 | 3 | 0.4% |
| (315) 232-8257 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (716) 559-9439 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (802) 552-3351 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (877) 205-6327 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (888) 473-8502 | 2 | 0.3% |
| (202) 376-1064 | 1 | 0.1% |
| (202) 670-8492 | 1 | 0.1% |
Key patterns
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (833) 304-1447 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.