FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 October 2022

Introduction

The Federal Communications Commission recorded 867 consumer complaints on Monday, 31 October 2022 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 345 complaints recorded the previous day. Reports were received from 48 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.

Key statistics

Total complaints
867
States & territories reporting
48
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (319)
Most reported state/territory
California (89)

Where the complaints came from

On 31 October 2022, the 867 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 576 cities across 48 states and territories. Complaint activity was fairly evenly distributed, with no single state or territory accounting for a large share of reports. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Alabama, where Tuscaloosa accounted for 35 of the 45 complaints recorded in the state.

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 89 10.3%
Florida 71 8.2%
New York 58 6.7%
Texas 58 6.7%
Alabama 45 5.2%
Michigan 36 4.2%
Ohio 32 3.7%
Pennsylvania 32 3.7%
Georgia 31 3.6%
Illinois 31 3.6%
Other states and territories 383 44.2%

Location highlights

  • A large share of complaints in Alabama originated from Tuscaloosa, which accounted for most reports within the state.
  • California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 61 different cities.

What the complaints were about

The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 8 complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 605 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 605 69.8%
Internet 180 20.8%
TV 60 6.9%
Radio 9 1.0%
Accessibility 7 0.8%
Emergency 3 0.3%
Broadband Story 2 0.2%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

605 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 319 52.7%
Availability (including rural call completion) 93 15.4%
Billing 82 13.6%
Equipment 37 6.1%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 32 5.3%
Privacy 15 2.5%
Interference (including signal jammers) 9 1.5%
Junk Faxes 8 1.3%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 7 1.2%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 2 0.3%

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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Availability (including rural call completion), Billing and Equipment among the most common.

Internet complaints

180 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 20.8% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 67 37.2%
Billing 61 33.9%
Speed 17 9.4%
Privacy 13 7.2%
Equipment 11 6.1%
Interference 11 6.1%

The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.

TV complaints

60 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.9% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 20 33.3%
Availability 14 23.3%
Loud Commercials 10 16.7%
Indecency 6 10.0%
Equipment 4 6.7%
Interference 4 6.7%
Privacy 2 3.3%

A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Loud Commercials among the most common.

Page last updated: 1 November 2022 with FCC complaints data from 31 October 2022.

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.