FCC Consumer Complaints – 20 September 2023

Introduction

The Federal Communications Commission recorded 770 consumer complaints on Wednesday, 20 September 2023 relating to telecommunications services, this represented a decline from the 889 complaints recorded the previous day. The complaints came from 49 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 312 complaints.

Key statistics

Total complaints
770
States & territories reporting
49
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (312)
Most reported state/territory
California (83)

Where the complaints came from

A total of 770 complaints were recorded on 20 September 2023, with reports originating from 559 cities in 49 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 83 10.8%
Texas 60 7.8%
New York 56 7.3%
Florida 47 6.1%
Illinois 33 4.3%
Ohio 31 4.0%
North Carolina 30 3.9%
Pennsylvania 29 3.8%
Arizona 27 3.5%
Georgia 24 3.1%
Other states and territories 350 45.5%

What the complaints were about

Complaints recorded on this date related to 7 different complaint categories. Phone was the most reported category, with 546 complaints. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 546 70.9%
Internet 173 22.5%
TV 27 3.5%
Radio 16 2.1%
Emergency 5 0.6%
Accessibility 2 0.3%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

546 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 70.9% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 312 57.1%
Billing 79 14.5%
Availability (including rural call completion) 51 9.3%
Equipment 37 6.8%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 15 2.7%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 15 2.7%
Junk Faxes 14 2.6%
Privacy 11 2.0%
Interference (including signal jammers) 7 1.3%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 3 0.5%
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. 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

173 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 22.5% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 61 35.3%
Availability 60 34.7%
Equipment 16 9.2%
Interference 16 9.2%
Speed 16 9.2%
Privacy 4 2.3%

Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.

Page last updated: 21 September 2023 with FCC complaints data from 20 September 2023.

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.