FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 August 2021
Introduction
On Tuesday, 31 August 2021, 1056 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 1050 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The most common issue reported was Unwanted Calls, accounting for 625 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1056
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (625)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (151)
Where the complaints came from
The 1056 complaints recorded on 31 August 2021 were submitted from 689 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. 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 | 151 | 14.3% |
| New York | 84 | 8.0% |
| Texas | 74 | 7.0% |
| Florida | 68 | 6.4% |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 38 | 3.6% |
| Arizona | 37 | 3.5% |
| Colorado | 35 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 33 | 3.1% |
| Illinois | 31 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 458 | 43.4% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 815 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 815 | 77.2% |
| Internet | 152 | 14.4% |
| TV | 68 | 6.4% |
| Radio | 17 | 1.6% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
815 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 77.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 625 | 76.7% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 62 | 7.6% |
| Billing | 52 | 6.4% |
| Equipment | 29 | 3.6% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 15 | 1.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 10 | 1.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 1.0% |
| Privacy | 8 | 1.0% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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 Availability (including rural call completion), Billing and Equipment.
Internet complaints
152 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 62 | 40.8% |
| Billing | 48 | 31.6% |
| Speed | 20 | 13.2% |
| Equipment | 11 | 7.2% |
| Privacy | 6 | 3.9% |
| Interference | 5 | 3.3% |
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 6.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 25 | 36.8% |
| Availability | 15 | 22.1% |
| Loud Commercials | 10 | 14.7% |
| Equipment | 6 | 8.8% |
| Indecency | 6 | 8.8% |
| Interference | 5 | 7.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.5% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability and Loud Commercials.
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.