FCC Chief Urges States to Crack Down on High Prison Phone Rates

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is calling on state utility regulators to lower the rates for prisoners’ intrastate phone calls.

The rates “substantially” exceed those for interstate calls in 45 states, Pai said in a Monday letter to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, which is holding its summer meeting this week.

“Given the alarming evidence of egregiously high intrastate inmate calling rates and the FCC’s lack of jurisdiction here, I am calling on states to exercise their authority and, at long last, address this pressing problem,” Pai said.

The FCC caps rates for interstate prison calls at ...