FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 October 2021
Introduction
On 19 October 2021, 939 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume increased from 841 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 510 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 939
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (510)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (116)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 19 October 2021 show 939 complaints originating from 612 cities across 51 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 116 | 12.4% |
| Florida | 74 | 7.9% |
| Texas | 73 | 7.8% |
| Colorado | 60 | 6.4% |
| New York | 60 | 6.4% |
| Georgia | 36 | 3.8% |
| Ohio | 34 | 3.6% |
| New Jersey | 29 | 3.1% |
| Maryland | 28 | 3.0% |
| North Carolina | 28 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 400 | 42.6% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 8 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 722 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 722 | 76.9% |
| Internet | 130 | 13.8% |
| TV | 66 | 7.0% |
| Radio | 11 | 1.2% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
| Broadband Story | 3 | 0.3% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
722 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 76.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 510 | 70.6% |
| Billing | 66 | 9.1% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 61 | 8.4% |
| Equipment | 26 | 3.6% |
| Privacy | 15 | 2.1% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 1.9% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 12 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 1.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 8 | 1.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 0.1% |
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 Equipment.
Internet complaints
130 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 13.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 50 | 38.5% |
| Availability | 47 | 36.2% |
| Speed | 11 | 8.5% |
| Interference | 8 | 6.2% |
| Privacy | 8 | 6.2% |
| Equipment | 6 | 4.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
66 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 7.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 25 | 37.9% |
| Availability | 20 | 30.3% |
| Indecency | 10 | 15.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 7.6% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.5% |
| Interference | 2 | 3.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.5% |
Billing and Availability 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.