FCC Consumer Complaints – 19 October 2023

Introduction

On 19 October 2023, 881 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded in the Federal Communications Commission system, this represented an increase from the 867 complaints recorded the day before. Complaints were reported across 51 states and territories, with California slightly ahead of the other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 374 complaints.

Key statistics

Total complaints
881
States & territories reporting
51
Most common issue
Unwanted Calls (374)
Most reported state/territory
California (102)

Where the complaints came from

A total of 881 complaints were recorded on 19 October 2023, with reports originating from 593 cities in 51 states and territories. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in Alabama, where Feefsdf accounted for 41 of the 56 complaints recorded in the state.

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 102 11.6%
Texas 62 7.0%
Florida 57 6.5%
Alabama 56 6.4%
Illinois 41 4.7%
New York 41 4.7%
Ohio 38 4.3%
Georgia 29 3.3%
Michigan 27 3.1%
Pennsylvania 27 3.1%
Other states and territories 400 45.4%

Location highlights

  • Feefsdf accounted for the majority of complaints recorded in Alabama.
  • California had the widest distribution of complaints, with reports originating from 68 different cities.

What the complaints were about

A total of 7 complaint categories were represented in the complaints recorded on this date. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 594 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.

Complaint category Complaints Share
Phone 594 67.4%
Internet 182 20.7%
TV 81 9.2%
Radio 20 2.3%
Emergency 2 0.2%
Accessibility 1 0.1%
Request for Dispute Assistance 1 0.1%

Phone complaints

594 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 67.4% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Unwanted Calls 374 63.0%
Billing 78 13.1%
Availability (including rural call completion) 45 7.6%
Equipment 35 5.9%
Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) 15 2.5%
Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) 14 2.4%
Interference (including signal jammers) 14 2.4%
Junk Faxes 10 1.7%
Privacy 6 1.0%
Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) 2 0.3%

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

182 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 20.7% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Billing 76 41.8%
Availability 57 31.3%
Privacy 16 8.8%
Interference 14 7.7%
Equipment 13 7.1%
Speed 6 3.3%

The largest share of complaints in this category related to Billing and Availability, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.

TV complaints

81 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 9.2% of the total.

Issue Complaints Share
Availability 57 70.4%
Billing 13 16.0%
Loud Commercials 5 6.2%
Equipment 4 4.9%
Interference 2 2.5%

The largest share of complaints in this category related to Availability and Billing, with fewer reports falling into other issue types.

Unwanted calls

There were 374 complaints relating to unwanted calls on this date, representing 42.5% of all complaints. Caller ID and business contact number details are listed below where there is enough concentration to make the data meaningful.

Most reported business contact numbers

Telephone number Complaints Share
(844) 463-6837 5 1.3%
(231) 304-9817 2 0.5%
(555) 555-5555 2 0.5%
(888) 402-6918 2 0.5%
(985) 314-6230 2 0.5%
(201) 778-0549 1 0.3%
(202) 571-8068 1 0.3%
(202) 858-1277 1 0.3%
(202) 871-1922 1 0.3%
(203) 671-8364 1 0.3%

Key patterns

  • None accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by service type.
  • Live Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
  • (844) 463-6837 stood out as the most frequently reported business contact number.
  • Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
Page last updated: 20 October 2023 with FCC complaints data from 19 October 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.