FCC Consumer Complaints – 3 December 2021
Introduction
On Friday, 3 December 2021, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 803 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 846 complaints the previous day. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 441 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 803
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (441)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (115)
Where the complaints came from
Reports recorded on 3 December 2021 show 803 complaints originating from 536 cities across 49 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 table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 115 | 14.3% |
| New York | 66 | 8.2% |
| Texas | 57 | 7.1% |
| Florida | 55 | 6.8% |
| Maryland | 31 | 3.9% |
| Arizona | 30 | 3.7% |
| North Carolina | 30 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 29 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 26 | 3.2% |
| Virginia | 24 | 3.0% |
| Other states and territories | 340 | 42.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 8 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 594 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 594 | 74.0% |
| Internet | 119 | 14.8% |
| TV | 66 | 8.2% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.9% |
| Accessibility | 6 | 0.7% |
| Broadband Story | 1 | 0.1% |
| Emergency | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
594 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 441 | 74.2% |
| Billing | 52 | 8.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 27 | 4.5% |
| Equipment | 27 | 4.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 14 | 2.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 11 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 8 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.8% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
119 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 14.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 46 | 38.7% |
| Availability | 35 | 29.4% |
| Speed | 15 | 12.6% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.6% |
| Privacy | 8 | 6.7% |
| Equipment | 6 | 5.0% |
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 8.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 22 | 33.3% |
| Availability | 20 | 30.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 11 | 16.7% |
| Indecency | 7 | 10.6% |
| Equipment | 5 | 7.6% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.5% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
441 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 54.9% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 5 | 1.1% |
| (855) 480-7100 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (918) 542-5926 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (202) 900-1994 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (202) 990-4776 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (207) 707-8555 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (208) 427-4207 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (209) 372-5995 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (209) 457-7386 | 1 | 0.2% |
| (210) 643-2378 | 1 | 0.2% |
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.
- (555) 555-5555 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.