FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 December 2021
Introduction
On Thursday, 16 December 2021, 762 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented a decline from the 821 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 357 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 762
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (357)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (88)
Where the complaints came from
The 762 complaints recorded on 16 December 2021 originated from 536 cities across 50 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 88 | 11.5% |
| Florida | 71 | 9.3% |
| Texas | 71 | 9.3% |
| New York | 44 | 5.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 4.2% |
| New Jersey | 30 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 30 | 3.9% |
| Michigan | 24 | 3.1% |
| Washington | 21 | 2.8% |
| Virginia | 20 | 2.6% |
| Other states and territories | 330 | 43.3% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 8 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 545 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 545 | 71.5% |
| Internet | 122 | 16.0% |
| TV | 69 | 9.1% |
| Radio | 15 | 2.0% |
| Broadband Story | 7 | 0.9% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
545 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 71.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 357 | 65.5% |
| Billing | 61 | 11.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 42 | 7.7% |
| Equipment | 35 | 6.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 25 | 4.6% |
| Privacy | 11 | 2.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 9 | 1.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 0.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 2 | 0.4% |
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
122 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 39.3% |
| Availability | 43 | 35.2% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.4% |
| Privacy | 9 | 7.4% |
| Speed | 9 | 7.4% |
| Equipment | 4 | 3.3% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
69 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 24 | 34.8% |
| Availability | 23 | 33.3% |
| Indecency | 9 | 13.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 11.6% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.9% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.4% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
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.