FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 September 2021
Introduction
On 18 September 2021, 477 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 891 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 43 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 248 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 477
- States & territories reporting
- 43
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (248)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (81)
Where the complaints came from
On 18 September 2021, the 477 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 299 cities across 43 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 81 | 17.0% |
| Texas | 53 | 11.1% |
| Florida | 26 | 5.5% |
| New York | 25 | 5.2% |
| Washington | 24 | 5.0% |
| Georgia | 20 | 4.2% |
| North Carolina | 20 | 4.2% |
| Virginia | 18 | 3.8% |
| Louisiana | 16 | 3.4% |
| New Jersey | 15 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 170 | 35.6% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 35 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 343 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 343 | 71.9% |
| Internet | 78 | 16.4% |
| TV | 50 | 10.5% |
| Radio | 4 | 0.8% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.4% |
Phone complaints
343 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 248 | 72.3% |
| Billing | 28 | 8.2% |
| Equipment | 25 | 7.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 20 | 5.8% |
| Privacy | 10 | 2.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 5 | 1.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 4 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.3% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
78 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 32 | 41.0% |
| Billing | 22 | 28.2% |
| Speed | 13 | 16.7% |
| Equipment | 4 | 5.1% |
| Interference | 4 | 5.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 3.8% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Loud Commercials | 15 | 30.0% |
| Billing | 12 | 24.0% |
| Availability | 11 | 22.0% |
| Indecency | 8 | 16.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.0% |
| Equipment | 1 | 2.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.0% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Loud Commercials, Billing and Availability.
Unwanted calls
248 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 52% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (213) 808-6643 | 6 | 2.4% |
| (209) 349-9896 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (559) 414-2079 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (855) 420-4736 | 2 | 0.8% |
| (203) 992-9055 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (207) 397-0114 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (207) 548-8041 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (207) 820-0355 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (209) 349-7973 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (210) 868-1423 | 1 | 0.4% |
Key patterns
- None accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by service type.
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (213) 808-6643 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.