{"id":24301,"date":"2013-08-20T20:30:37","date_gmt":"2013-08-21T01:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=24301"},"modified":"2013-08-20T20:52:43","modified_gmt":"2013-08-21T01:52:43","slug":"fcc-ends-predatory-phone-rates-for-deaf-prisoners-family-members","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/08\/20\/fcc-ends-predatory-phone-rates-for-deaf-prisoners-family-members\/","title":{"rendered":"FCC Ends Predatory Phone Rates for Deaf Prisoners & Family Members"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\t\"HEARD<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n<\/p>\n

\n\tCONTACT: Talila A. Lewis
\n\t(202) 455-9278
\n\tTL@behearddc.org\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ENDS PREDATORY PHONE RATES FOR DEAF PRISONERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAugust 9, 2013, Washington, D.C. – Eight months ago, Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf (HEARD) launched its Deaf Prisoner Phone Justice Campaign.  Through this Campaign, HEARD lobbied the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to bring an end to exorbitant prisoner telephone rates that disproportionately impact deaf and hard of hearing prisoners and their family members.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tToday, the FCC adopted an order that, effective immediately, brings an end to these high rates.  Significantly, the order prohibits companies from charging fees to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners who use relay services and from charging the same rates to communicate through this despairingly slow technology.  Specifically, the order requires that phone companies base their rates on actual costs; provides a safe harbor rate of .12 per minute for prepaid calls and .14 minute for collect calls; and places an interim rate caps at .21 and .25 cents per minute for prepaid and collect calls, respectively.  \n<\/p>\n

\n\tDuring the Campaign, HEARD mobilized unprecedented participation from more than forty deaf and hard of hearing prisoners.  These comments spoke to the isolating impact of inaccessible technology, sky-high rates, and additional fees being charged to prisoners using relay, that in most cases prevent them from communicating with anyone outside of prison.  In addition, HEARD rallied members of the Deaf Community, family members of deaf prisoners and allies to submit comments about the unique impact of inaccessible telecommunications in prison for deaf prisoners and their family members and advocates.  These comments illustrated how the absence of videophones and captioned telephones prevent deaf prisoners from connecting to their loved ones.  They also illuminated issues related to systemic abuse of deaf prisoners that necessitates communication with advocates via sign language—a language that is unique from English.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tRegrettably, this order does not address serious and sweeping accessibility concerns raised by HEARD related to the absence of videophone technology in all but one handful of prisons in this nation.  We are pleased with today’s historic vote that ends discriminatory practices that have disproportionately affected prisoners with disabilities for decades, but equality demands more.  HEARD again calls on the leadership of Chairwoman Mignon L. Clyburn and the FCC to ensure that prison telecommunication is affordable and universally accessible. Notwithstanding today’s vote, countless people with disabilities across this nation still cannot connect to their incarcerated loved ones.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tHEARD’s Deaf Prisoner Phone Justice Campaign will not end until deaf prisoners and their families have equal access to telecommunication in prison.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe PDF  version of this press release can be viewed here.\n<\/p>\n

\n\thttp:\/\/www.behearddc.org\/images\/ics%20rates%20fcc%20press%20release.pdf<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t######\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFor more information about the Deaf Prisoner Phone Justice Campaign:  \n<\/p>\n

\n\tHEARD vlog: Lobbying the FCC for Change: Equal Communication Access for Deaf Prisoners!\n<\/p>\n

\n\thttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NyaQBgH4aWM<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tHEARD’s Public Comment to the FCC '\n<\/p>\n

\n\thttp:\/\/apps.fcc.gov\/ecfs\/document\/view?id=7022134808<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Talila A. Lewis (202) 455-9278 TL@behearddc.org FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ENDS PREDATORY PHONE RATES FOR DEAF PRISONERS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS August 9, 2013, Washington, D.C. – Eight months ago, Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of…<\/p>\n

Read more →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[4621,9269,19604,19605,201,342,2093,2019,18813,18812,158,19603,4124,1576,8191,19606,2071],"class_list":["post-24301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deaf-news","tag-article","tag-campaign","tag-collect-call","tag-deaf-prisoner-phone-justice-campaign","tag-family","tag-fcc","tag-federal-communication-commission","tag-federal-communications-commission","tag-heard","tag-helping-educate-to-advance-the-rights-of-the-deaf","tag-poorna-kushalnagar","tag-prepaid-call","tag-press-release","tag-prison","tag-telecommunication","tag-telephone-rates","tag-youtube"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p752R-6jX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25510,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/12\/02\/sign-letter-supporting-access-to-telecomm-for-deaf-prisoners-families\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":0},"title":"Sign Letter Supporting Access to Telecomm for Deaf Prisoners & Families","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"December 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Sign Letter Supporting Access to Telecomm for Deaf Prisoners & Families Friends and Allies:\u00a0 We are in urgent need of your support and action! HEARD\u2019s Deaf Prisoner Phone Justice Campaign needs a strong push from the Community to get us across the finish line. Please take a few seconds to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"HEARD logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/HEARD-logo.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":31265,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2015\/07\/01\/vrs-providers-express-disappointment-with-fcc-order-lowering-compensation-rates\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":1},"title":"VRS Providers Express Disappointment With FCC Order Lowering Compensation Rates","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"July 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:Jim Manley, QGA Public Affairsjmanley@qga.com \/ 202-255-3736 VIDEO RELAY SERVICE (VRS) PROVIDERS EXPRESS DISAPPOINTMENT WITH FCC ORDER LOWERING COMPENSATION RATES; CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ISSUANCE OF NPRM ON JOINT PROVIDER PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE SERVICE, EXPAND OFFERINGS, AND UPHOLD ADA\u2019S PROMISE OF FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":23321,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2013\/06\/04\/solitary-watch-reports-on-abuse-of-deaf-disabled-prisoners\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":2},"title":"Solitary Watch Reports on Abuse of Deaf & Disabled Prisoners","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Deaf Prisoners in Florida Face Abuse and Solitary Confinement May 21, 2013 By James Ridgeway and Jean Casella In the a Florida prison called the Reception and Medical Center, a corrections officer appears at a cell door and begins mocking fake sign language to the man inside, who is deaf.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/DN_logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10987,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2010\/06\/28\/fcc-takes-action-to-protect-and-sustain-vital-service\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":3},"title":"FCC Takes Action to Protect and Sustain Vital Service","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 28, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"FCC Takes Action to Protect and Sustain Vital Service for the Deaf Commission Votes Unanimously on Immediate and Long-Term Approaches Press release from the Federal Communications Commission, 6\/28\/10 Washington, DC -- The Federal Communications Commission has taken two actions to protect and ensure the sustainability of a vital service for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":13717,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2011\/03\/28\/tdi-nad-vrs-and-advanced-communication-services-survey\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":4},"title":"TDI \/ NAD VRS and Advanced Communication Services Survey","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"March 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"TDI \/ NAD Video Relay Service and Advanced Communication Services Survey TDI and National Association of the Deaf (NAD) would like to thank you for filling out this survey. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been asking many excellent questions about how deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind people use\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":35815,"url":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/2017\/06\/09\/fcc-seeks-comment-accelerating-wireline-broadband-deployment-by-removing-barriers-to-infrastructure-investment\/","url_meta":{"origin":24301,"position":5},"title":"FCC Seeks Comment: Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment","author":"Grant Laird Jr","date":"June 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Public Notice, Federal Communications Commission Seeks Comment: Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment\u00a0 In 1973, an engineer from Motorola made the first \u201chandheld\u201d phone call to his competitor at Bell Labs. Today\u2019s cell phone technology allows much more than a phone call: we text, take photos,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/blog\/category\/deaf-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24301"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24306,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24301\/revisions\/24306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/deafnetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}