FCC Consumer Complaints – 1 August 2021

Introduction

On Sunday, 1 August 2021, 294 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 342 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 44 states and territories, with Florida reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 118 complaints.

Key statistics

Total complaints
294
States & territories reporting
44
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (118)
Most reported state/territory
Florida (31)

Where the complaints came from

The 294 complaints recorded on 1 August 2021 originated from 228 cities across 44 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.

The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.

State/Territory Complaints
Florida 31 10.5%
California 29 9.9%
Texas 29 9.9%
New York 18 6.1%
Washington 13 4.4%
Ohio 12 4.1%
Illinois 11 3.7%
Kentucky 11 3.7%
South Carolina 11 3.7%
Alabama 10 3.4%
Other states and territories 119 40.5%

What the complaints were about

The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 182 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 182 61.9%
Internet 65 22.1%
TV 41 13.9%
Radio 3 1.0%
Broadband Story 2 0.7%
Accessibility 1 0.3%

Phone complaints

182 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 61.9% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 118 64.8%
Billing 18 9.9%
Availability (including rural call completion) 17 9.3%
Equipment 15 8.2%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 6 3.3%
Interference (including signal jammers) 4 2.2%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 1 0.5%
Junk Faxes 1 0.5%
Privacy 1 0.5%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 1 0.5%

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

65 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.1% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 24 36.9%
Billing 14 21.5%
Speed 11 16.9%
Interference 6 9.2%
Equipment 5 7.7%
Privacy 5 7.7%

A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Availability, Billing and Speed among the most common.

TV complaints

41 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.9% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Indecency 15 36.6%
Availability 10 24.4%
Billing 7 17.1%
Loud Commercials 5 12.2%
Equipment 2 4.9%
Interference 2 4.9%

The largest share of complaints in this category related to Indecency and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.

Page last updated: 2 August 2021 with FCC complaints data from 1 August 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.