FCC Consumer Complaints – 29 March 2023
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 931 consumer complaints on Wednesday, 29 March 2023 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume fell from 936 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 399 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 931
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (399)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (129)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 931 complaints were recorded on 29 March 2023, with reports originating from 632 cities in 51 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 Iowa, where Hull accounted for 24 of the 32 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 | 129 | 13.9% |
| Florida | 67 | 7.2% |
| New York | 59 | 6.3% |
| Texas | 59 | 6.3% |
| Illinois | 43 | 4.6% |
| North Carolina | 33 | 3.5% |
| Iowa | 32 | 3.4% |
| Ohio | 32 | 3.4% |
| Virginia | 32 | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 31 | 3.3% |
| Other states and territories | 414 | 44.5% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Iowa originated from Hull, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 6 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 646 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 646 | 69.4% |
| Internet | 175 | 18.8% |
| TV | 92 | 9.9% |
| Radio | 9 | 1.0% |
| Emergency | 8 | 0.9% |
| Accessibility | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
646 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 69.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 399 | 61.8% |
| Billing | 75 | 11.6% |
| Equipment | 61 | 9.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 39 | 6.0% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 22 | 3.4% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 13 | 2.0% |
| Junk Faxes | 12 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.7% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 7 | 1.1% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 6 | 0.9% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.2% |
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, Equipment and Availability (including rural call completion).
Internet complaints
175 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 70 | 40.0% |
| Availability | 59 | 33.7% |
| Speed | 14 | 8.0% |
| Equipment | 12 | 6.9% |
| Privacy | 11 | 6.3% |
| Interference | 9 | 5.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
92 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 48 | 52.2% |
| Availability | 22 | 23.9% |
| Indecency | 8 | 8.7% |
| Loud Commercials | 8 | 8.7% |
| Equipment | 5 | 5.4% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
There were 399 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 42.9% 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 business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (555) 555-5555 | 5 | 1.3% |
| (253) 582-8488 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (314) 937-5201 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (512) 399-8280 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (800) 287-0690 | 2 | 0.5% |
| (201) 877-0445 | 1 | 0.3% |
| (208) 650-7415 | 1 | 0.3% |
| (209) 355-0608 | 1 | 0.3% |
| (209) 497-0688 | 1 | 0.3% |
| (209) 530-1725 | 1 | 0.3% |
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.
- (555) 555-5555 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.