FCC Consumer Complaints – 4 January 2023
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 817 consumer complaints on Wednesday, 4 January 2023 relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 689 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 52 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints relating to Unwanted Calls were marginally higher than for other issue types.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 817
- States & territories reporting
- 52
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (225)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (92)
Where the complaints came from
On 4 January 2023, the 817 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 598 cities across 52 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 92 | 11.3% |
| Texas | 64 | 7.8% |
| Florida | 62 | 7.6% |
| New York | 47 | 5.8% |
| Illinois | 46 | 5.6% |
| North Carolina | 36 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 34 | 4.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 3.9% |
| Ohio | 27 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 24 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 351 | 43.0% |
Location highlight
California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 63 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 8 complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 511 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 511 | 62.5% |
| Internet | 238 | 29.1% |
| TV | 43 | 5.3% |
| Radio | 15 | 1.8% |
| Emergency | 5 | 0.6% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.4% |
| Broadband Story | 1 | 0.1% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
511 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 62.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 225 | 44.0% |
| Billing | 98 | 19.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 75 | 14.7% |
| Equipment | 38 | 7.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 28 | 5.5% |
| Privacy | 15 | 2.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 12 | 2.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 10 | 2.0% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 1.0% |
| Rural Call Completion | 3 | 0.6% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 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. A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment among the most common.
Internet complaints
238 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 29.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 98 | 41.2% |
| Billing | 91 | 38.2% |
| Equipment | 15 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 14 | 5.9% |
| Speed | 13 | 5.5% |
| Privacy | 7 | 2.9% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
43 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 18 | 41.9% |
| Billing | 9 | 20.9% |
| Equipment | 5 | 11.6% |
| Loud Commercials | 5 | 11.6% |
| Indecency | 4 | 9.3% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.3% |
Availability and Billing 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.