FCC Consumer Complaints – 10 May 2021

Introduction

On Monday, 10 May 2021, 982 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 225 complaints recorded the previous day. 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 579 complaints recorded.

Key statistics

Total complaints
982
States & territories reporting
51
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (579)
Most reported state/territory
California (115)

Where the complaints came from

The 982 complaints recorded on 10 May 2021 originated from 670 cities across 51 states and territories. The distribution of complaints was relatively even, with no single state or territory contributing a dominant share. 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 115 11.7%
Texas 91 9.3%
Florida 75 7.6%
North Carolina 73 7.4%
New York 48 4.9%
Georgia 39 4.0%
Pennsylvania 35 3.6%
South Carolina 30 3.1%
Maryland 28 2.9%
Washington 28 2.9%
Other states and territories 416 42.4%

What the complaints were about

A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 751 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 751 76.5%
Internet 126 12.8%
TV 73 7.4%
Radio 16 1.6%
Broadband Story 12 1.2%
Emergency 3 0.3%
Accessibility 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

751 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 76.5% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 579 77.1%
Billing 79 10.5%
Availability (including rural call completion) 31 4.1%
Equipment 24 3.2%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 12 1.6%
Junk Faxes 8 1.1%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 7 0.9%
Privacy 7 0.9%
Interference (including signal jammers) 4 0.5%

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

126 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 56 44.4%
Availability 30 23.8%
Speed 21 16.7%
Equipment 10 7.9%
Interference 5 4.0%
Privacy 4 3.2%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

TV complaints

73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.4% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 36 49.3%
Availability 15 20.5%
Loud Commercials 10 13.7%
Indecency 5 6.8%
Equipment 3 4.1%
Interference 3 4.1%
Privacy 1 1.4%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Unwanted calls

579 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 59% 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 5 0.9%
(202) 852-8511 2 0.3%
(507) 248-5692 2 0.3%
(626) 349-2528 2 0.3%
(706) 427-0488 2 0.3%
(201) 584-0794 1 0.2%
(202) 642-5558 1 0.2%
(202) 951-3881 1 0.2%
(202) 971-7495 1 0.2%
(203) 405-8010 1 0.2%

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.
Page last updated: 11 May 2021 with FCC complaints data from 10 May 2021.

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.