FCC closes "final loopholes" that keep prison phone prices exorbitantly high
The FCC voted to lower prison phone call price caps, halving interstate rates and introducing caps for intrastate calls. Changes effective Jan 2025 for all prisons and Apr 2025 for smaller jails.
Read original article
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to lower price caps on prison phone calls, addressing the issue of exorbitant rates charged to incarcerated individuals and their families. The new rules will cut the price of interstate calls in half and set price caps on intrastate calls for the first time. These changes are expected to take effect in January 2025 for all prisons and in April 2025 for smaller jails. The FCC now has the authority to regulate intrastate prison phone prices following the approval of the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act by Congress in 2023. This law empowers the FCC to set comprehensive and just rates for both interstate and intrastate calls, closing the final loopholes in the communication system. The FCC's efforts to reduce prison phone rates have faced legal challenges in the past, but with this new authority, a uniform set of price caps will apply to both interstate and intrastate calls, benefiting a significant portion of incarcerated individuals and their families.
Related
AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules
The CPUC rejected AT&T's request to end landline phone obligations, emphasizing customer protection. AT&T's application lacked replacement provider evidence. CPUC considers COLR rule changes, while Marin County opposes AT&T's legislation.
FCC rule would make carriers unlock all phones after 60 days
The FCC proposes a rule to unlock phones 60 days post-purchase, enhancing consumer carrier-switching freedom. Chairwoman Rosenworcel stresses choice importance. Public feedback sought on July 18 for potential market impacts.
Three Algorithms in a Room
Airlines' history of price-fixing led to algorithmic pricing adoption in various sectors. DOJ and FTC pursue lawsuits against algorithmic price-fixing schemes to prevent collusion, impacting future pricing practices.
Who Owns Your Wireless Service? Crooks Do. (2019)
Cybercriminals exploit wireless carriers' vulnerabilities, compromising security. Incidents include data breaches and SIM-swapping attacks. Industry lacks control, regulators struggle. Efforts like SHAKEN/STIR in place, but challenges persist. AT&T developing solutions. Lack of privacy laws leaves consumers vulnerable.
It's never been easier for the cops to break into your phone
Law enforcement, including the FBI, uses advanced tools to access suspects' phones rapidly. Recent events highlight agencies' access to phone-hacking tools like Cellebrite, sparking debates on privacy versus law enforcement requirements.
9 commentsPhone contact required sign up at a web page, which was some web service that to sign up looked like it had been written in 1995 for aol by a 12 year old, and even attempting to sign up didn't work on any browser I tried (I'm pretty sure Internet Explorer 6 might have worked though). The site was almost laughably bad to the point I couldn't imagine any actual security involved in them taking any payment information.
I sent him some books, and told him I'd tried, but I wasn't dealing with some insecure amateur web service that was certainly created by the nephew of whoever runs his prison.
I know that prison is meant to be punishment, but the industry that has sprung up around it is so exploitative and pitifully gross toward both the prisoners and any family/friends they might have it only left me even more disenfranchised with the state of the US.
I feel for anyone that has or had to deal with someone in prison. I'm glad for someone with decency in the FCC to finally agree to fix the prison phone cost exploitation.
> The FCC's draft order said that even with the new caps, potential "revenues for eight out of 12 IPCS [Incarcerated People's Communications Services] providers exceed their total reported costs when excluding site commissions and safety and security categories that generally are not used and useful in the provision of IPCS.
The FCC should be commended for closing these loopholes, but it's notable that these prison phone companies are still profitable even at these significantly lower rates. That indicates that the relationship here was (and is) purely extractive and should be operated purely at cost, if not banned outright.
Show HN: Ameelio.org – Free Prison Communication Platform -https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23042558 - May 2020 (90 comments)
Show HN: Ameelio – Free and Open Source Prison Communication Platform (Part II) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23701356 - July 2020 (2 comments)
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39376264 (CTO comment on policy 5 months ago)
that's literally all we're asking for!
the only political difference I have with many of you is where absence of Congress or inability of Congress to pass anything means that the agency should do something. I agree that a denial of service by the courts is bad and sad, but I don't agree that something should happen just because Congress won't pass a law.
I think partisan stuff is never going to pass so stop trying, and surface representatives that can bridge consensus so that Congress does grant authority to agencies for modern relevant things.
Related
AT&T can't hang up on landline phone customers, California agency rules
The CPUC rejected AT&T's request to end landline phone obligations, emphasizing customer protection. AT&T's application lacked replacement provider evidence. CPUC considers COLR rule changes, while Marin County opposes AT&T's legislation.
FCC rule would make carriers unlock all phones after 60 days
The FCC proposes a rule to unlock phones 60 days post-purchase, enhancing consumer carrier-switching freedom. Chairwoman Rosenworcel stresses choice importance. Public feedback sought on July 18 for potential market impacts.
Three Algorithms in a Room
Airlines' history of price-fixing led to algorithmic pricing adoption in various sectors. DOJ and FTC pursue lawsuits against algorithmic price-fixing schemes to prevent collusion, impacting future pricing practices.
Who Owns Your Wireless Service? Crooks Do. (2019)
Cybercriminals exploit wireless carriers' vulnerabilities, compromising security. Incidents include data breaches and SIM-swapping attacks. Industry lacks control, regulators struggle. Efforts like SHAKEN/STIR in place, but challenges persist. AT&T developing solutions. Lack of privacy laws leaves consumers vulnerable.
It's never been easier for the cops to break into your phone
Law enforcement, including the FBI, uses advanced tools to access suspects' phones rapidly. Recent events highlight agencies' access to phone-hacking tools like Cellebrite, sparking debates on privacy versus law enforcement requirements.