PSC may decide whether to lower inmate phone calls

ATLANTA - The Public Service Commission may determine at its February meeting whether it has the authority to order a lower rate for people who accept collect telephone calls from prison inmates. <br> <br> The PSC heard complaints Wednesday that WorldCom, which provides phone service for 45,000 state prisoners, is charging exorbitant rates. <br> <br> ``We&#39;re concerned about price gouging by the Department of Corrections,&#39;&#39; Commissioner Robert Baker said. People ``are essentially being assessed a penalty for having that association&#39;&#39; with a prisoner. <br> <br> WorldCom won a $12 million contract with the department nearly a year ago to provide the service to 100 prisons and halfway houses. The Corrections Department says it uses the money for mental health services for inmates. <br> <br> Phil Nowicki, the director of consumer affairs for the PSC, said WorldCom charges 24 cents a minute for local daytime calls on top of a $2.55 connection fee, but the company is supposed to charge just a connection charge for local calls. <br> <br> For long-distance calls, WorldCom charges a $3.95 connection fee and 69 cents per minute, Nowicki said. It is supposed to use either a flat charge or the per-minute charge, not both, for long-distance calls, he said. <br> <br> Some people who have accepted inmate calls said they were quoted rate information less than half what was billed. WorldCom said those people have gotten credits, but anyone who heard a correct message or accepted a call after the misleading rate information was corrected was properly billed the $3.95 surcharge and 69 cents per minute.