FCC Consumer Complaints – 31 January 2023
Introduction
On Tuesday, 31 January 2023, 906 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 777 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 368 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 906
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (368)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (113)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 906 complaints were recorded on 31 January 2023, with reports originating from 620 cities in 50 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 distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 113 | 12.5% |
| Texas | 78 | 8.6% |
| Florida | 65 | 7.2% |
| Illinois | 59 | 6.5% |
| New York | 56 | 6.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 34 | 3.8% |
| Virginia | 33 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | 32 | 3.5% |
| Ohio | 32 | 3.5% |
| New Jersey | 26 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 373 | 41.2% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 631 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 631 | 69.6% |
| Internet | 203 | 22.4% |
| TV | 50 | 5.5% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.3% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 4 | 0.4% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
631 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 368 | 58.3% |
| Billing | 82 | 13.0% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 62 | 9.8% |
| Equipment | 40 | 6.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 32 | 5.1% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 14 | 2.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 13 | 2.1% |
| Privacy | 13 | 2.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 7 | 1.1% |
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
203 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 82 | 40.4% |
| Availability | 71 | 35.0% |
| Equipment | 17 | 8.4% |
| Speed | 13 | 6.4% |
| Privacy | 12 | 5.9% |
| Interference | 8 | 3.9% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 19 | 38.0% |
| Availability | 15 | 30.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 6 | 12.0% |
| Interference | 5 | 10.0% |
| Indecency | 3 | 6.0% |
| Equipment | 2 | 4.0% |
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.