Technologie i telekomunikacja · 12.07.1996

Inmate Calling ServicesPrison Payphones

On January 30, 1996, the Commission adopted a Declaratory Ruling that inmate-only payphone instruments are customer premises equipment (CPE) that must be provided on an unregulated basis. The Commission additionally denied petitioner's request that certain inmate-only services be considered enhanced services. Three petitions were filed with the Commission on March 21, 1996, and one on April 5, 1996, requesting that the Declaratory Ruling be stayed or waived pending the effective date of new rules, pursuant to Section 276 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, that must be adopted for all payphones. One petitioner also argued that the Declaratory Ruling did not apply to smaller local exchange carriers (LECs). In this Order we deny the request in part and grant it in part, and the intended effect of this action is to ensure that the inmate-only payphone market is competitive.