Federal Communications Commission DA 20-1499 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services ) ) ) ) WC Docket No. 12-375 ORDER Adopted: December 17, 2020 Released: December 17, 2020 Reply Comment Date: January 15, 2021 By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau: 1. By this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission grants an extension of time for filing reply comments on the ICS Fourth Further Notice in the above-captioned proceeding. Reply comments were originally due on December 22, 2020. See Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Comment Dates in Response to Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Inmate Calling Services, WC Docket No. 12-375, Public Notice, DA 20-1256 (WCB Oct. 23, 2020) (ICS Fourth Further Notice Comment Cycle PN). As a result, reply comments are now due on January 15, 2021. 2. On August 7, 2020, the Commission released the ICS Fourth Further Notice in this proceeding. See Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, WC Docket No. 12-375, Report and Order on Remand and Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 35 FCC Rcd 8485 (2020) (ICS Report and Order on Remand or ICS Fourth Further Notice or Further Notice). The ICS Fourth Further Notice set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 60 days, respectively, after a summary of the item was published in the Federal Register. ICS Fourth Further Notice, 35 FCC Rcd at 8485. The Federal Register published that summary on October 23, 2020 and established deadlines of November 23, 2020 and December 22, 2020 for filing comments and reply comments, respectively. Federal Communications Commission, Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services, 85 Fed. Reg. 67480 (Oct. 23, 2020). The Bureau released a Public Notice announcing those deadlines on October 23, 2020. ICS Fourth Further Notice Comment Cycle PN. 3. On December 10, 2020, the Wright Petitioners, Prison Policy Initiative, Public Knowledge, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., and Worth Rises (collectively, Movants) filed an Extension Request seeking to extend the reply comment deadline to January 15, 2021. The Wright Petitioners, Prison Policy Initiative, Public Knowledge, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., and Worth Rises, Motion for Extension of Time to Reply, WC Docket No. 12-375, at 1 (filed Dec. 10, 2020) (Extension Request). Movants explain that “[m]any of the advocacy organizations that support incarcerated people and submitted comments in response to the Further Notice are . . . devoting their limited resources to ensuring that every incarcerated person can communicate with loved ones” during the holiday season, which is “especially complicated” this year “because most jails and prisons have prohibited in-person visitation” due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Id. at 2-3. Movants assert that “[a]n extension will enable [these] resource-constrained advocacy organizations to continue participating in this proceeding” and “enable commenters to create a robust record.” Id. at 2, 4. 4. As set forth in section 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, it is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time shall not be routinely granted. 47 CFR § 1.46. Nevertheless, we find that Movants have shown good cause for an extension of the reply comment deadline and that the public interest will be served by extending that deadline to January 15, 2021. Movants assert that “[n]o party will be prejudiced or harmed” by an extension. Extension Request at 3. Movants explain that they contacted certain commenters in this proceeding regarding the Extension Request and “no party raised concerns.” Id. at 3 & n.9. Movants specify that four parties to this proceeding—Securus Technologies, LLC, Global Tel*Link Corporation (GTL), Pay Tel Communications, Inc., and NCIC Inmate Communications—have indicated that they will not oppose an extension to January 15, 2021. Id. at 3 n.9. Finally, Movants emphasize that an extension will not delay the Commission in moving forward with this proceeding and that a January 15, 2021 reply comment deadline would be consistent with the pleading cycle the Bureau has established on GTL’s petition for reconsideration of the ICS Report and Order on Remand. Id. at 3 & n.10; Petition for Reconsideration of the 2020 Inmate Calling Services Report and Order on Remand, WC Docket No. 12-375, Public Notice, DA 20-1446 (WCB Dec. 3, 2020) (specifying that oppositions to GTL’s petition for reconsideration shall be filed no later than January 11, 2021 and that replies to such oppositions shall be filed no later than January 21, 2021). 5. Under these circumstances, and in the interest of allowing all parties an opportunity to fully and meaningfully respond to the comments and expert reports filed in response to the ICS Fourth Further Notice, we agree that an extension of the reply comment deadline is warranted. 6. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to sections 0.204, 0.291, and 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.204, 0.291, 1.46, that the Motion for Extension of Time filed by the Movants on December 10, 2020 is GRANTED. 7. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the date for filing reply comments on the ICS Fourth Further Notice is EXTENDED to January 15, 2021. 8. To request materials in accessible formats (such as Braille, large print, electronic files, or audio format), send an email to: fcc504@fcc.gov, or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). 9. For further information concerning this proceeding, please contact Peter Bean of the Wireline Competition Bureau, Pricing Policy Division, at (202) 418-0786 or peter.bean@fcc.gov. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Kris Anne Monteith Chief Wireline Competition Bureau 2