FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
OFFI C E O F 
THE C H A IR MAN 
The Honorable Jeff Miller 
U.S. House of Representatives 
336 Cannon House Office Building 
Washington, D.C. 20515 
Dear Congressman Miller: 
March 27, 2014 
Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns over the potential effects that the 
Federal Communications Commission's inmate calling services proceeding could have on jails 
and smaller correctional facilities. Your views are very important and will be included in the 
record ofthe proceeding and considered as part of the Commission's review. 
On September 26, 2013, the Commission released a Report and Order and Further 
Notice of Proposed Rule making on inmate calling services (ICS). In the Report and Order 
portion ofthe item, the Commission adopted interim reforms of interstate inmate calling service 
rates, requiring that providers' rates and charges be just, reasonable and fair. The Report and 
Order also requires submission of data from ICS providers on costs, rates, and usage. 
The Report and Order recognized that security measures are an important part of inmate 
calling services, and allowed security costs to be recovered through inmate calling service rates. 
The Report and Order also leaves critical decisions about security to correctional facilities and 
inmate calling service providers. With respect to the concerns you convey that some jails and 
smaller correctional facilities may have to reduce or discontinue interstate inmate calling services 
due to the reforms, inmate calling service providers that do not believe their costs will be 
recovered may seek a waiver of the adopted rate caps. 
In the Further Notice portion of the item, the Commission sought public comment on a 
number of outstanding issues regarding inmate calling services, including reform of intrastate 
ICS rates and practices, and whether the Commission should adopt a rate structure that 
distinguishes between jails and prisons. Comments on the Further Notice were due on 
December 20, 2013, and reply comments were due on January 13, 2014. The Commission 
currently is reviewing the record in this proceeding. 
On January 13, 2014, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia 
Circuit issued a partial stay of the Report and Order, pending further judicial review. Three of 
the rules adopted in the Report and Order were stayed by the Court of Appeals and did not go 
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into effect. These include requirements that inmate calling service rates be cost-based, the 
interim safe harbor rates, and the annual reporting and certification requirements. The remaining 
rules adopted in the Report and Order became effective on February 11, 2014. 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please let me know if I can be of any further 
assistance. 
Sincerely,