FCC Consumer Complaints – 12 October 2023
Introduction
The Federal Communications Commission recorded 863 consumer complaints on 12 October 2023 relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 816 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 50 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 863
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (317)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (117)
Where the complaints came from
The 863 complaints recorded on 12 October 2023 were submitted from 609 cities across 50 states and territories. Overall, complaint activity was broadly distributed, with no single state or territory representing a significant proportion of the total. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
The distribution of complaints by state and territory is shown below, with locations ranked by the number of reports recorded.
| State/Territory | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|
| California | 117 | 13.6% |
| Texas | 62 | 7.2% |
| Florida | 52 | 6.0% |
| New York | 52 | 6.0% |
| Illinois | 35 | 4.1% |
| Arizona | 33 | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | 3.6% |
| New Jersey | 27 | 3.1% |
| Washington | 27 | 3.1% |
| Massachusetts | 25 | 2.9% |
| Other states and territories | 400 | 46.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 6 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 629 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 629 | 72.9% |
| Internet | 165 | 19.1% |
| TV | 45 | 5.2% |
| Radio | 17 | 2.0% |
| Emergency | 4 | 0.5% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.3% |
Phone complaints
629 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 72.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 317 | 50.4% |
| Billing | 131 | 20.8% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 54 | 8.6% |
| Equipment | 34 | 5.4% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 24 | 3.8% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 22 | 3.5% |
| Junk Faxes | 20 | 3.2% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 14 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 9 | 1.4% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 2 | 0.3% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.2% |
As is typical for this category, unwanted calls accounted for the largest share of complaints. A more detailed analysis of these reports is provided 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
165 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 19.1% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 65 | 39.4% |
| Availability | 47 | 28.5% |
| Speed | 19 | 11.5% |
| Privacy | 13 | 7.9% |
| Equipment | 11 | 6.7% |
| Interference | 10 | 6.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
45 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 14 | 31.1% |
| Availability | 10 | 22.2% |
| Loud Commercials | 10 | 22.2% |
| Indecency | 5 | 11.1% |
| Equipment | 4 | 8.9% |
| Interference | 1 | 2.2% |
| Privacy | 1 | 2.2% |
A broad mix of issues was reported in this category, with Billing, Availability and Loud Commercials among the most common.
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.