FCC Consumer Complaints – 5 September 2021

Introduction

On Sunday, 5 September 2021, 326 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was lower than the 391 complaints recorded the previous day. Complaints were reported across 43 states and territories, with Alaska slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints relating to Unwanted Calls were marginally higher than for other issue types.

Key statistics

Total complaints
326
States & territories reporting
43
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (122)
Most reported state/territory
Alaska (36)

Where the complaints came from

On 5 September 2021, the 326 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 216 cities across 43 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Alaska, where Sadfgsdfg accounted for 35 of the 36 complaints recorded in the state.

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
Alaska 36 11.0%
Texas 27 8.3%
California 26 8.0%
Florida 25 7.7%
New York 17 5.2%
Kentucky 14 4.3%
Washington 13 4.0%
Alabama 11 3.4%
Illinois 11 3.4%
Colorado 10 3.1%
Other states and territories 136 41.7%

Location highlights

  • Only two cities were associated with complaints in Alaska, Sadfgsdfg and Anchorage.
  • Complaint activity in Alaska was almost entirely concentrated in Sadfgsdfg.

What the complaints were about

The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 8 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 191 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 191 58.6%
Internet 82 25.2%
TV 38 11.7%
Radio 11 3.4%
Accessibility 1 0.3%
Broadband Story 1 0.3%
Emergency 1 0.3%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.3%

Phone complaints

191 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 58.6% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 122 63.9%
Availability (including rural call completion) 20 10.5%
Privacy 13 6.8%
Equipment 12 6.3%
Billing 11 5.8%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 8 4.2%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 3 1.6%
Interference (including signal jammers) 1 0.5%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 1 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Availability (including rural call completion), Privacy and Equipment among the most common.

Internet complaints

82 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 25.2% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 49 59.8%
Availability 16 19.5%
Speed 10 12.2%
Interference 3 3.7%
Equipment 2 2.4%
Privacy 2 2.4%

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

TV complaints

38 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 11.7% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Loud Commercials 18 47.4%
Availability 13 34.2%
Billing 5 13.2%
Indecency 1 2.6%
Interference 1 2.6%

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

Page last updated: 6 September 2021 with FCC complaints data from 5 September 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.