FCC Consumer Complaints – 18 March 2023
Introduction
A total of 480 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday, 18 March 2023, complaint volume fell from 812 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 47 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 480
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (140)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (68)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 480 complaints were recorded on 18 March 2023, with reports originating from 379 cities in 47 states and territories. Complaint reports were spread across multiple states and territories, without any one location accounting for a large share. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Illinois, where Clinton accounted for 22 of the 33 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory on this date, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 68 | 14.2% |
| Texas | 36 | 7.5% |
| Illinois | 33 | 6.9% |
| Florida | 27 | 5.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 23 | 4.8% |
| North Carolina | 21 | 4.4% |
| Virginia | 20 | 4.2% |
| New York | 18 | 3.8% |
| Ohio | 16 | 3.3% |
| Georgia | 14 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 204 | 42.5% |
Location highlight
Clinton accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Illinois.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 277 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 277 | 57.7% |
| Internet | 114 | 23.8% |
| TV | 73 | 15.2% |
| Radio | 8 | 1.7% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
277 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 57.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 140 | 50.5% |
| Billing | 45 | 16.2% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 26 | 9.4% |
| Equipment | 26 | 9.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 21 | 7.6% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 9 | 3.2% |
| Privacy | 5 | 1.8% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 3 | 1.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.7% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided below. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
114 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 23.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 43 | 37.7% |
| Billing | 41 | 36.0% |
| Privacy | 10 | 8.8% |
| Interference | 9 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 7 | 6.1% |
| Speed | 4 | 3.5% |
The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.
TV complaints
73 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 15.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 32 | 43.8% |
| Availability | 23 | 31.5% |
| Indecency | 11 | 15.1% |
| Equipment | 3 | 4.1% |
| Privacy | 3 | 4.1% |
| 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.