Incarcerated People's Communication Services; Implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Act; Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services
Abstract
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) modifies the Commission's previous incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS) rate caps in response to record evidence of the significant unintended consequences of those rate caps. It establishes new interim audio and video IPCS rate caps by basing the calculation of the Commission's rate caps only on billed minutes, incorporating all safety and security measure expenses that IPCS providers reported incurring, and creating an additional rate cap tier for extremely small jails. It also creates a separate interim rate additive to ensure recovery of correctional facilities' costs of administering IPCS. Additionally, it sets a new compliance date for providers' compliance with the new rules and clarifies that the rate cap, site commission, and per-minute pricing rules from the Commission's 2021 Order will no longer apply following that date.
Federal Register Source
This document is published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Access the full regulatory text, preamble, and docket comments below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2025-22125 Federal Register document?
Document 2025-22125 is a Final Rule published by the Federal Communications Commission in the Federal Register on December 5, 2025, with an effective date of December 5, 2025. In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) modifies the Commission's previous incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS) rate caps in response to record evidence of the significant unintended consequences of those rate caps. It establishes new interim audio and video IPCS rate caps by basing the calculation of the Commission's rate caps only on billed minutes, incorporating all safety and security measure expenses that IPCS providers reported incurring, and creating an additional rate cap tier for extremely small jails. It also creates a separate interim rate additive to ensure recovery of correctional facilities' costs of administering IPCS. Additionally, it sets a new compliance date for providers' compliance with the new rules and clarifies that the rate cap, site commission, and per-minute pricing rules from the Commission's 2021 Order will no longer apply following that date. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/05/2025-22125/incarcerated-peoples-communication-services-implementation-of-the-martha-wright-reed-act-rates-for.
Is document 2025-22125 an economically significant rule?
No. Document 2025-22125 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.