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Background
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
has rules that ensure consumers are able to reach their
preferred long distance telephone company or companies from
public telephones, hotel phones, or other telephones served by
operator service providers (OSPs). These rules also apply to
telephones in public areas at correctional institutions, such as
telephones located in visitation areas. The rules do not apply,
however, to telephones used only by inmates. In most cases,
inmates using “inmate-only” telephones are only allowed to make
collect calls and do not have a right to access a preferred long
distance telephone company. Additional restrictions, such as
limits on the number of calls, call duration, or and calling
hours apply to “inmate-only” telephones and may influence rates
for calls from these telephones.
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Identifying Rates for Collect Calls
from Prisons
FCC rules require that, when an inmate
places a collect call, each OSP must identify itself to the
person receiving the call before connecting the call. Each
OSP must also disclose, before connecting the call, how the
receiving party may obtain rate quotations. Additionally,
the OSP must permit the receiving party to terminate the
telephone call at no charge before the call is connected.
These rules apply only to interstate (between states) OSP
calls. Most states, however, have similar rules for
intrastate OSP calls.
Complaints – Where to File
To complain about rates for intrastate
(within a state) collect calls from public phones in
prisons, contact the state public utility commission in the
state where the call originated and terminated. State public
utility commission addresses may be found at
www.naruc.org/commissions.cfm or in the blue
pages or government section of your local telephone
directory. To complain about interstate and international
rates, file a complaint with the FCC. There is no charge for
filing a complaint with the FCC.
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Filing a Complaint with the FCC
You can file your complaint using an FCC
on-line complaint form found at
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. You can also file
your complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing fccinfo@fcc.gov;
calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications
Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the information
needed for the FCC to process your complaint is to complete
fully the on-line complaint form. When you open the on-line
complaint form you will be asked a series of questions that will
take you to the particular section of the form you need to
complete. If you do not use the on-line complaint form, your
complaint, at a minimum, should indicate:
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your name, address, e-mail address, and
phone number where you can be reached;
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the telephone and account numbers that
are the subject of your complaint;
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the names and phone numbers of any
companies involved with your complaint;
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the amount of any disputed charges,
whether you paid them, whether you received a refund or
adjustment to your bill, the amount of any adjustment or
refund you have received, an explanation if the disputed
charges are related to services in addition to residence or
business telephone services; and
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the details of your complaint and any
additional relevant information.
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For More Information
For information about
other telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center
using the information provided for filing a complaint. |
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Federal Communications Commission
