Commission Ruling Opens Door For Low-Cost Call Routing Service For Inmates And Their Families

Families of prison inmates should enjoy new options for reducing the high cost of phone calls to loved ones in jails and prisons, due to action taken by the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau. In a Declaratory Ruling, the Bureau finds that Inmate calling service providers are not allowed to unilaterally block innovative call routing services offered in the broad marketplace.

The Bureau ruling follows comprehensive action taken by the Commission to bar high rates for long-distance calls in jails and prisons nationwide. These actions are likely to facilitate increased contact between inmates and their loved ones. Studies have shown that contact between inmates and their families and communities can reduce the rate of recidivism, which in turn provides benefits to society overall. Inmate calling service provider Securus Technologies blocked ConsCallHome, arguing that Commission precedent permitted such blocking, and sought a ruling from the FCC on the issue. The Bureau found that the Commission precedent cited by Securus was not applicable in this context. “As the Commission has previously found, call blocking is largely antithetical to the fundamental goal of ubiquity and reliability of the telecommunications network,” the FCC declared in its ruling.