FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 May 2023
Introduction
On Friday, 19 May 2023, 721 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, complaint volume fell from 757 complaints the previous day. Reports were received from 50 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 721
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (266)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (108)
Where the complaints came from
The 721 complaints recorded on 19 May 2023 were submitted from 499 cities across 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. Despite the overall distribution, a notable concentration at the city level was observed in Arizona, where Parker accounted for 24 of the 38 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 | 108 | 15.0% |
| Texas | 61 | 8.5% |
| New York | 46 | 6.4% |
| Arizona | 38 | 5.3% |
| Florida | 38 | 5.3% |
| Colorado | 35 | 4.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 27 | 3.7% |
| Illinois | 26 | 3.6% |
| Georgia | 23 | 3.2% |
| North Carolina | 21 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 298 | 41.3% |
Location highlights
- A large share of complaints in Arizona originated from Parker, which accounted for most reports within the state.
- California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 65 different cities.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. Phone accounted for the largest share, with 463 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 463 | 64.2% |
| Internet | 182 | 25.2% |
| TV | 50 | 6.9% |
| Accessibility | 12 | 1.7% |
| Radio | 12 | 1.7% |
| Emergency | 2 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
463 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 64.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 266 | 57.5% |
| Billing | 68 | 14.7% |
| Equipment | 36 | 7.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 33 | 7.1% |
| Privacy | 17 | 3.7% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 16 | 3.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 15 | 3.2% |
| Junk Faxes | 6 | 1.3% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 4 | 0.9% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.4% |
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
182 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 25.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 82 | 45.1% |
| Billing | 52 | 28.6% |
| Speed | 14 | 7.7% |
| Privacy | 13 | 7.1% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.0% |
| Interference | 10 | 5.5% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
50 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 20 | 40.0% |
| Availability | 16 | 32.0% |
| Indecency | 4 | 8.0% |
| Loud Commercials | 4 | 8.0% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.0% |
| Interference | 2 | 4.0% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.0% |
Billing and Availability 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.