FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 September 2021
Introduction
On Sunday, 12 September 2021, 340 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 395 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 46 states and territories, with California recording the largest share of reports at 67 complaints. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 136 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 340
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (136)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (67)
Where the complaints came from
The 340 complaints recorded on 12 September 2021 originated from 243 cities across 46 states and territories. Complaint activity was somewhat more concentrated than usual, with California accounting for the largest share of reports. At the city level, no single location accounted for a notable share of complaints.
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 | 67 | 19.7% |
| New York | 25 | 7.4% |
| Texas | 23 | 6.8% |
| Florida | 21 | 6.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 4.7% |
| New Jersey | 14 | 4.1% |
| Colorado | 13 | 3.8% |
| Michigan | 10 | 2.9% |
| Virginia | 10 | 2.9% |
| Indiana | 9 | 2.6% |
| Other states and territories | 132 | 38.8% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 214 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 214 | 62.9% |
| Internet | 65 | 19.1% |
| TV | 46 | 13.5% |
| Radio | 8 | 2.4% |
| Broadband Story | 4 | 1.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.6% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
214 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 136 | 63.6% |
| Billing | 21 | 9.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 16 | 7.5% |
| Equipment | 16 | 7.5% |
| Privacy | 8 | 3.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 7 | 3.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 2.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.9% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.9% |
| Rural Call Completion | 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 19.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 23 | 35.4% |
| Billing | 17 | 26.2% |
| Speed | 13 | 20.0% |
| Interference | 7 | 10.8% |
| Privacy | 3 | 4.6% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.1% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
46 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 28.3% |
| Billing | 12 | 26.1% |
| Availability | 9 | 19.6% |
| Indecency | 7 | 15.2% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.3% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Loud Commercials, Billing and Availability among the most common.
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.