FCC Consumer Complaints – 17 March 2026
Introduction
On Tuesday, 17 March 2026, the Federal Communications Commission recorded 1306 consumer complaints relating to telecommunications services, this was higher than the 1132 complaints recorded the day before. The complaints came from 50 states and territories, with California reporting a modestly higher count than the other locations. Unwanted Calls recorded a slightly higher number of complaints than other issues.
This date falls within a government shutdown period from 14 February 2026 to 30 April 2026. Complaint volumes during this period may be lower than usual.
Key statistics
- Total complaints
- 1306
- States & territories reporting
- 50
- Most common issue
- Unwanted Calls (493)
- Most reported state/territory
- California (151)
Where the complaints came from
A total of 1306 complaints were recorded on 17 March 2026, with reports originating from 853 cities in 50 states and territories. Complaints were distributed across states and territories in a broadly even manner, with no individual location standing out significantly. A similar pattern is observed at the city level, with complaints spread across locations rather than concentrated in a single area.
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 | 151 | 11.6% |
| Florida | 111 | 8.5% |
| Texas | 88 | 6.7% |
| New York | 77 | 5.9% |
| Georgia | 59 | 4.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 51 | 3.9% |
| Illinois | 49 | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 49 | 3.8% |
| Colorado | 47 | 3.6% |
| Ohio | 44 | 3.4% |
| Other states and territories | 579 | 44.3% |
What the complaints were about
The complaints recorded on this date were spread across 7 complaint categories. The largest number of complaints fell within Phone, which accounted for 973 reports. Complaint activity was strongly concentrated in this category, with other categories contributing comparatively fewer reports.
| Complaint category | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | 973 | 74.5% |
| Internet | 220 | 16.8% |
| TV | 77 | 5.9% |
| Radio | 19 | 1.5% |
| Emergency | 13 | 1.0% |
| Accessibility | 3 | 0.2% |
| Request for Dispute Assistance | 1 | 0.1% |
Phone complaints
973 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 74.5% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unwanted Calls | 493 | 50.7% |
| Billing | 218 | 22.4% |
| Availability (including rural call completion) | 97 | 10.0% |
| Equipment | 62 | 6.4% |
| Number Portability (keeping your number if you change providers) | 47 | 4.8% |
| Cramming (unauthorized charges on your phone bill) | 17 | 1.7% |
| Junk Faxes | 15 | 1.5% |
| Privacy | 15 | 1.5% |
| Interference (including signal jammers) | 5 | 0.5% |
| Slamming (change of your carrier without permission) | 4 | 0.4% |
Unwanted calls again accounted for the largest share of complaints in this category. These reports are examined in more detail 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
220 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 16.8% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 123 | 55.9% |
| Availability | 50 | 22.7% |
| Equipment | 15 | 6.8% |
| Interference | 13 | 5.9% |
| Privacy | 10 | 4.5% |
| Speed | 9 | 4.1% |
Billing and Availability were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
TV complaints
77 complaints were recorded in this category, representing 5.9% of the total.
| Issue | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | 52 | 67.5% |
| Billing | 17 | 22.1% |
| Indecency | 5 | 6.5% |
| Loud Commercials | 2 | 2.6% |
| Interference | 1 | 1.3% |
Availability and Billing were the main issues reported in this category, while other issues were less common.
Unwanted calls
493 complaints relating to unwanted calls were recorded on this date, accounting for 37.7% of all complaints. Reports referenced both caller ID numbers and business contact numbers, with number tables shown where meaningful patterns are present.
Most reported business contact numbers
| Telephone number | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| (877) 578-4104 | 10 | 2.0% |
| (855) 357-2070 | 9 | 1.8% |
| (855) 909-0815 | 9 | 1.8% |
| (315) 215-8045 | 7 | 1.4% |
| (315) 215-8040 | 3 | 0.6% |
| (607) 249-9000 | 3 | 0.6% |
| (866) 848-4804 | 3 | 0.6% |
| (833) 727-9439 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (866) 398-2896 | 2 | 0.4% |
| (866) 959-0957 | 2 | 0.4% |
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.
- (877) 578-4104 was reported slightly more often than other business contact numbers.
- Reports were spread across many different caller ID numbers, with no single number dominating.
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.