FCC Consumer Complaints – 2 August 2021
Introduction
On Monday, 2 August 2021, 859 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 294 complaints the day before. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 435 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 859
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (435)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (111)
Where the complaints came from
Across 583 cities in 49 states and territories, a total of 859 complaints were recorded on 2 August 2021. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 111 | 12.9% |
| Texas | 72 | 8.4% |
| Florida | 56 | 6.5% |
| New York | 50 | 5.8% |
| Ohio | 35 | 4.1% |
| Georgia | 32 | 3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 3.7% |
| Michigan | 30 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 30 | 3.5% |
| North Carolina | 29 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 379 | 44.1% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 615 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 615 | 71.6% |
| Internet | 145 | 16.9% |
| TV | 72 | 8.4% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.6% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.6% |
| Broadband Story | 5 | 0.6% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
615 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 435 | 70.7% |
| Billing | 62 | 10.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 43 | 7.0% |
| Equipment | 32 | 5.2% |
| Privacy | 14 | 2.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 1.6% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 1.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 1.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.2% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail in the section below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
145 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 55 | 37.9% |
| Availability | 52 | 35.9% |
| Speed | 13 | 9.0% |
| Interference | 11 | 7.6% |
| Equipment | 9 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 3.4% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
72 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 8.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 27 | 37.5% |
| Indecency | 17 | 23.6% |
| Availability | 13 | 18.1% |
| Equipment | 7 | 9.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 8.3% |
| Privacy | 2 | 2.8% |
Billing and Indecency accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.