FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
August 19,20II
~ULlUSGENACHOWSKI
CHAIRMAN
The Honorablc G.K. BUllerfield
U. . House of Representatives
2305 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Butterfield:
Thank you for your letter regarding inmate calling services and the relatcd rulemaking
proceeding pending before the Commission. The Securus Petition involves a servicc marketed
for a monthly fee to inmate families called ConsCallHome. An inmate's family subscribing to
that service receives a phone number local to the prison. When the inmate calls the local
number, ConsCalll-lome uses a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) router to route the call from
the local number to the family's home number even if it is outside the local calling area. By
using this methodology, inmate families pay the set-up charge for the call and any charges for a
local call, and do not incur long distance charges.
The Securus Petition requests the Commission to rule that services like ConsCallHome
are a call diversion scheme, which Securus is entitled to block pursuant to Commission
precedent. This Petition raises complex factual questions and legal issues that may have security
implications for the public. Commission staff is reviewing the record that has becn compiled and
has been meeting with interested parties to obtain a better understanding of the information
submitted to the Commission. Please be assured that the Commission is working as
expeditiously as possible to address the questions raised in this proceeding.
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be
of further assistance.
~Julius Genachowski
445 12lH STREET S,W WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 • 202-418-1000