FCC Hands ICS Reform Proponents What They See as a Win

will apply to both. The same effective dates also apply to the rates “for ICS calls involving TTY devices, the rule governing the treatment of taxes and fees, the rule prohibiting per-call or per-connection charges, the rule prohibiting flat-rate calling, and the rules governing minimum and maximum calling account balances,” the Wednesday notice said. The U.S Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit blocked new ICS rate caps last week and one other set of fee restrictions, pending further review, but let stand the rest of the commission’s 2015 ICS order (see 1603070055). The Wright petitioners hailed the PN in an emailed comment. “The Wright Petitioners are relieved that the FCC saw through the ICS providers’ last-ditch effort to avoid lowering rates for intrastate prison calls,” they said. “The FCC was correct in refusing to bail out the ICS providers for their failure to recognize that the interim rate caps would apply to intrastate prison rates.” Most ICS calls are intrastate in nature and as a result “the FCC’s refusal to ‘clarify’ the very clear intent of the FCC’s rule changes will provide immediate relief to millions of inmates and their families from unjust, unreasonable and unfair intrastate prison rates,” the Wright petitioners said. Martha Wright, who died in 2014, raised the initial complaint to the FCC on ICS rates that led to reform.