FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 May 2023
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 913 consumer complaints on 17 May 2023 relating to telecommunications services, complaint volume increased from 857 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 51 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls was the most frequently reported issue, with 400 complaints recorded.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 913
- States & territories reporting
- 51
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (400)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (119)
Where the complaints came from
On 17 May 2023, the 913 complaints recorded by the Federal Communications Commission were reported from 620 cities across 51 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. This pattern continues at the city level, where complaints were distributed across multiple locations without a single city standing out.
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 | 119 | 13.0% |
| Texas | 88 | 9.6% |
| Pennsylvania | 66 | 7.2% |
| Florida | 62 | 6.8% |
| New York | 55 | 6.0% |
| New Jersey | 34 | 3.7% |
| Colorado | 33 | 3.6% |
| Virginia | 30 | 3.3% |
| Michigan | 28 | 3.1% |
| Georgia | 25 | 2.7% |
| Other states and territories | 373 | 40.9% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 672 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 672 | 73.6% |
| Internet | 178 | 19.5% |
| TV | 40 | 4.4% |
| Radio | 14 | 1.5% |
| Accessibility | 5 | 0.5% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.3% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
672 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 73.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 400 | 59.5% |
| Billing | 87 | 12.9% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 68 | 10.1% |
| Equipment | 39 | 5.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 18 | 2.7% |
| Privacy | 17 | 2.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 14 | 2.1% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 13 | 1.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 12 | 1.8% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 3 | 0.4% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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
178 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 65 | 36.5% |
| Billing | 58 | 32.6% |
| Interference | 18 | 10.1% |
| Equipment | 14 | 7.9% |
| Speed | 13 | 7.3% |
| Privacy | 10 | 5.6% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
40 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 4.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 19 | 47.5% |
| Equipment | 7 | 17.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 7 | 17.5% |
| Availability | 4 | 10.0% |
| Indecency | 1 | 2.5% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.5% |
Billing and Equipment accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
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.