Inmate phone call costs slashed by U.S. agency

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Hefty phone bills for inmates in U.S. prisons and jails were slashed by the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, affecting about 2 million incarcerated persons and their families.

Under the final rules, the cost of a 15-minute phone call will drop to 90 cents from as much as $11.35 in large jails. In small jails it will cost $1.35 instead of $12.10.

Inmates cannot receive voice calls but families can schedule video calls through some providers.

Video call costs including for visitations will be capped for the first time, at 11 to 25 cents a minute, less than a quarter of current prices. Fees are barred. The video call rate will be finalized at a later date.

The FCC also plans to study video call quality issues.

Congress passed legislation in 2023 to give the FCC broad authority to cut inmate calls costs after caps set by the agency were reversed by the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia in 2017.

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