FCC Consumer Complaints – 26 September 2021

Introduction

On 26 September 2021, 298 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 413 complaints the day before. The complaints came from 45 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 115 complaints.

Key statistics

Total complaints
298
States & territories reporting
45
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (115)
Most reported state/territory
California (31)

Where the complaints came from

On 26 September 2021, the 298 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 237 cities across 45 states and territories. 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 table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.

State/Territory Complaints
California 31 10.4%
Florida 22 7.4%
Texas 22 7.4%
Virginia 18 6.0%
New York 15 5.0%
Colorado 14 4.7%
Kentucky 14 4.7%
Georgia 10 3.4%
Illinois 10 3.4%
Ohio 10 3.4%
Other states and territories 132 44.3%

What the complaints were about

A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. Phone was the most reported category, with 164 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 164 55.0%
Internet 77 25.8%
TV 44 14.8%
Radio 7 2.3%
Accessibility 3 1.0%
Emergency 2 0.7%
Broadband Story 1 0.3%

Phone complaints

164 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 55.0% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 115 70.1%
Availability (including rural call completion) 17 10.4%
Billing 11 6.7%
Equipment 10 6.1%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 4 2.4%
Interference (including signal jammers) 3 1.8%
Privacy 3 1.8%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 1 0.6%

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 Availability (including rural call completion), Billing and Equipment among the most common.

Internet complaints

77 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 25.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 34 44.2%
Billing 15 19.5%
Interference 13 16.9%
Speed 6 7.8%
Privacy 5 6.5%
Equipment 4 5.2%

Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

TV complaints

44 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Loud Commercials 15 34.1%
Availability 13 29.5%
Indecency 7 15.9%
Billing 5 11.4%
Equipment 4 9.1%

Loud Commercials and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Page last updated: 27 September 2021 with FCC complaints data from 26 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.