FCC Consumer Complaints – 27 December 2021
Introduction
On 27 December 2021, 612 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this was higher than the 179 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 46 states and territories, with New York reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 612
- States & territories reporting
- 46
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (233)
- Most reported state/territory
- New York (71)
Where the complaints came from
Across 427 cities in 46 states and territories, a total of 612 complaints were recorded on 27 December 2021. 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 71 | 11.6% |
| California | 66 | 10.8% |
| Florida | 52 | 8.5% |
| Texas | 40 | 6.5% |
| Oklahoma | 25 | 4.1% |
| North Carolina | 24 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 24 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 23 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | 19 | 3.1% |
| Arizona | 17 | 2.8% |
| Other states and territories | 250 | 40.8% |
What the complaints were about
A total of 8 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 399 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 399 | 65.2% |
| Internet | 129 | 21.1% |
| TV | 61 | 10.0% |
| Radio | 12 | 2.0% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.8% |
| Broadband Story | 3 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
399 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 65.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 233 | 58.4% |
| Billing | 49 | 12.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 41 | 10.3% |
| Equipment | 38 | 9.5% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 18 | 4.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 6 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 5 | 1.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 0.8% |
| Junk Faxes | 3 | 0.8% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.5% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. Complaints in this category covered a range of issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
129 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 21.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 56 | 43.4% |
| Availability | 37 | 28.7% |
| Equipment | 10 | 7.8% |
| Speed | 10 | 7.8% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.0% |
| Privacy | 7 | 5.4% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
61 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.0% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 28 | 45.9% |
| Availability | 14 | 23.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 14 | 23.0% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.6% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
There were 233 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 38.1% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (585) 833-3474 | 6 | 2.6% |
| (415) 818-9051 | 3 | 1.3% |
| (646) 257-5861 | 2 | 0.9% |
| (702) 323-4408 | 2 | 0.9% |
| (202) 990-4861 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (202) 990-8239 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (206) 602-3964 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (207) 948-2330 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (208) 281-4915 | 1 | 0.4% |
| (208) 591-8093 | 1 | 0.4% |
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.
- Reports were spread across many different business contact numbers, with no single number dominating.
- (585) 833-3474 stood out as the most frequently reported caller ID number.
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.