FCC Consumer Complaints – March 2026
Introduction
A total of 29665 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services were recorded by the Federal Communications Commission in March 2026, this was higher than the 28565 complaints recorded the month before. The complaints came from 55 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls was reported slightly more frequently than other issues.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 29665
- Days with complaint data
- 31
- Days with complaints
- 31
- States & territories reporting
- 55
- Government shutdown days
- 31
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (10814)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (3521)
Daily complaint activity
All 31 days in this month fell within a government shutdown period, so daily complaint volumes may not be comparable with normal reporting periods.
Each bar represents one day of the month. Taller bars indicate more complaints.
Where the complaints came from
The 29665 complaints recorded in March 2026 originated from 6087 cities across 55 states and territories. Activity was spread across states and territories, with no single location accounting for a substantial share of complaints. A notable concentration at the city level was observed in District of Columbia, where Washington accounted for 74 of the 83 complaints recorded in the state.
The table below summarises the number of complaints reported in each state and territory during the month, ordered by total reports.
| State/Territory | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3521 | 11.9% |
| Florida | 2521 | 8.5% |
| Texas | 2424 | 8.2% |
| New York | 1592 | 5.4% |
| Illinois | 1192 | 4.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 1173 | 4.0% |
| Georgia | 1018 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 978 | 3.3% |
| Colorado | 945 | 3.2% |
| Ohio | 921 | 3.1% |
| Other states and territories | 13359 | 45.0% |
Location highlights
- A large share of complaints in District of Columbia originated from Washington, which accounted for most reports within the state.
- Complaints in California were reported across 597 cities, the widest spread observed during the month.
What the complaints were about
Complaints recorded during the month related to 7 different complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 22130 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 22130 | 74.6% |
| Internet | 5121 | 17.3% |
| TV | 1669 | 5.6% |
| Radio | 452 | 1.5% |
| Emergency | 203 | 0.7% |
| Accessibility | 70 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 20 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
22130 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 74.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 10814 | 48.9% |
| Billing | 5187 | 23.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 1982 | 9.0% |
| Equipment | 1597 | 7.2% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 997 | 4.5% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 560 | 2.5% |
| Privacy | 376 | 1.7% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 285 | 1.3% |
| Junk Faxes | 228 | 1.0% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 94 | 0.4% |
| Rural Call Completion | 1 | 0.0% |
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. The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Billing, Availability (including rural call completion) and Equipment.
Internet complaints
5121 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 17.3% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 2475 | 48.3% |
| Availability | 1295 | 25.3% |
| Interference | 399 | 7.8% |
| Speed | 390 | 7.6% |
| Equipment | 340 | 6.6% |
| Privacy | 221 | 4.3% |
Billing and Availability accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
TV complaints
1669 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 5.6% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 801 | 48.0% |
| Billing | 398 | 23.8% |
| Indecency | 165 | 9.9% |
| Loud Commercials | 158 | 9.5% |
| Interference | 63 | 3.8% |
| Equipment | 49 | 2.9% |
| Privacy | 21 | 1.3% |
Availability and Billing accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Radio complaints
452 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 1.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 151 | 33.4% |
| Pirate Radio | 109 | 24.1% |
| Availability | 90 | 19.9% |
| Indecency | 55 | 12.2% |
| Equipment | 14 | 3.1% |
| Commercials/Promotions | 12 | 2.7% |
| Billing | 11 | 2.4% |
The remaining complaints in this category were spread across several issues, including Interference, Pirate Radio and Availability.
Emergency complaints
203 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.7% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Interference | 106 | 52.2% |
| Phone | 38 | 18.7% |
| Other | 37 | 18.2% |
| Tower | 22 | 10.8% |
Interference and Phone accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Accessibility complaints
70 complaints were recorded in this category during the month, representing 0.2% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Captioning on TV | 31 | 44.3% |
| Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) | 12 | 17.1% |
| Closed Captioning over the Internet | 11 | 15.7% |
| Video Description | 6 | 8.6% |
| Emergency Information on TV | 1 | 1.4% |
| Hearing Aid Compatibility of Wireless Phones | 1 | 1.4% |
Closed Captioning on TV and Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) accounted for the majority of complaints in this category, with other issues reported less frequently.
Unwanted calls
10814 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 36.5% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported caller ID numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (801) 801-4063 | 7 | 0.1% |
| (855) 909-0815 | 6 | 0.1% |
| (888) 530-6830 | 6 | 0.1% |
| (404) 806-4811 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (631) 763-0425 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (771) 220-0691 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (855) 994-1841 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (866) 398-3898 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (866) 959-1080 | 4 | 0.0% |
| (916) 518-3100 | 4 | 0.0% |
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (855) 909-0815 | 94 | 0.9% |
| (888) 269-4978 | 55 | 0.5% |
| (866) 398-3898 | 54 | 0.5% |
| (855) 994-2142 | 52 | 0.5% |
| (866) 398-2896 | 45 | 0.4% |
| (833) 588-3781 | 41 | 0.4% |
| (855) 357-2070 | 41 | 0.4% |
| (866) 771-5844 | 40 | 0.4% |
| (855) 994-1953 | 38 | 0.4% |
| (866) 959-1387 | 37 | 0.3% |
Key patterns
- Other Services accounted for the largest share of unwanted call complaints by service type.
- Prerecorded Voice was reported slightly more often than other call types.
- (855) 909-0815 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- (801) 801-4063 was reported slightly more often than other caller ID numbers.
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.