FCC Consumer Complaints – 28 October 2023
Introduction
On Saturday, 28 October 2023, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 512 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was lower than the 889 complaints recorded the day before. Reports were received from 47 states and territories, with California recording slightly more complaints than other locations. Complaints were most commonly associated with Unwanted Calls, accounting for 223 complaints.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 512
- States & territories reporting
- 47
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (223)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (65)
Where the complaints came from
Across 352 cities in 47 states and territories, a total of 512 complaints were recorded on 28 October 2023. Complaints were relatively evenly spread across states and territories, with no individual location contributing a dominant share. At the city level, a significant concentration was observed in Illinois, where Clinton accounted for 25 of the 40 complaints recorded.
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 | 65 | 12.7% |
| Alabama | 48 | 9.4% |
| Illinois | 40 | 7.8% |
| Texas | 37 | 7.2% |
| New York | 32 | 6.3% |
| Florida | 26 | 5.1% |
| Ohio | 26 | 5.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 3.1% |
| Virginia | 14 | 2.7% |
| Arkansas | 13 | 2.5% |
| Other states and territories | 195 | 38.1% |
Location highlight
A large share of complaints in Illinois originated from Clinton, which accounted for most reports within the state.
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date fell into 5 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 349 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 349 | 68.2% |
| Internet | 94 | 18.4% |
| TV | 53 | 10.4% |
| Radio | 12 | 2.3% |
| Accessibility | 4 | 0.8% |
Phone complaints
349 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 68.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 223 | 63.9% |
| Billing | 43 | 12.3% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 29 | 8.3% |
| Equipment | 25 | 7.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 10 | 2.9% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 8 | 2.3% |
| Privacy | 6 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 2 | 0.6% |
| Junk Faxes | 1 | 0.3% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 1 | 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
94 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 18.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 40 | 42.6% |
| Availability | 36 | 38.3% |
| Interference | 9 | 9.6% |
| Privacy | 4 | 4.3% |
| Speed | 3 | 3.2% |
| Equipment | 2 | 2.1% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
53 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 10.4% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 31 | 58.5% |
| Billing | 16 | 30.2% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3.8% |
| Indecency | 1 | 1.9% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 1 | 1.9% |
| Privacy | 1 | 1.9% |
Availability and Billing 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.