FCC Consumer Complaints – 16 August 2023
Introduction
On Wednesday, 16 August 2023, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 814 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this represented an increase from the 808 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 49 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. The largest number of complaints related to Unwanted Calls, with 343 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 814
- States & territories reporting
- 49
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (343)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (97)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 814 complaints were recorded on 16 August 2023, with reports originating from 582 cities in 49 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 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 | 97 | 11.9% |
| Florida | 75 | 9.2% |
| Texas | 58 | 7.1% |
| New York | 50 | 6.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 39 | 4.8% |
| Maryland | 29 | 3.6% |
| Michigan | 28 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 28 | 3.4% |
| Alabama | 24 | 2.9% |
| Georgia | 24 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 361 | 44.3% |
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded on this date related to 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 575 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 575 | 70.6% |
| Internet | 174 | 21.4% |
| TV | 51 | 6.3% |
| Radio | 9 | 1.1% |
| Emergency | 3 | 0.4% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 2 | 0.2% |
Phone complaints
575 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 70.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 343 | 59.7% |
| Billing | 71 | 12.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 58 | 10.1% |
| Equipment | 36 | 6.3% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 25 | 4.3% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 16 | 2.8% |
| Privacy | 11 | 1.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 1.4% |
| Junk Faxes | 4 | 0.7% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.3% |
As is often the case in this category, unwanted calls were the most frequently reported issue. Further analysis of these complaints is provided 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
174 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 21.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 78 | 44.8% |
| Billing | 53 | 30.5% |
| Equipment | 14 | 8.0% |
| Interference | 12 | 6.9% |
| Privacy | 9 | 5.2% |
| Speed | 8 | 4.6% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
51 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 6.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 20 | 39.2% |
| Availability | 19 | 37.3% |
| Loud Commercials | 9 | 17.6% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.9% |
| Indecency | 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.