FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 October 2021
Introduction
On 17 October 2021, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 279 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 338 complaints recorded 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 129 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 279
- States & territories reporting
- 43
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (129)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (31)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 17 October 2021 show 279 complaints originating from 208 cities across 43 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. At the city level, complaints were similarly dispersed, with no single location accounting for a notable share of the total.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 31 | 11.1% |
| New York | 19 | 6.8% |
| Washington | 18 | 6.5% |
| New Jersey | 17 | 6.1% |
| Arizona | 16 | 5.7% |
| Kentucky | 16 | 5.7% |
| Florida | 15 | 5.4% |
| Nevada | 14 | 5.0% |
| Texas | 12 | 4.3% |
| Ohio | 10 | 3.6% |
| Other states and territories | 111 | 39.8% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 6 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 188 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 188 | 67.4% |
| Internet | 47 | 16.8% |
| TV | 34 | 12.2% |
| Radio | 6 | 2.2% |
| Accessibility | 2 | 0.7% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.7% |
Phone complaints
188 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 129 | 68.6% |
| Billing | 25 | 13.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 12 | 6.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 3.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 3.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 5 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 4 | 2.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 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. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill).
Internet complaints
47 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 11 | 23.4% |
| Speed | 11 | 23.4% |
| Availability | 9 | 19.1% |
| Interference | 7 | 14.9% |
| Privacy | 6 | 12.8% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.4% |
Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Speed and Availability.
TV complaints
34 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 12.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 14 | 41.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 13 | 38.2% |
| Billing | 4 | 11.8% |
| Indecency | 3 | 8.8% |
Availability and Loud Commercials were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less 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.