Toll-Free Numbers not free, so says FCC - 03/04/02 09:17 PM
Got this data from the FCC, hope you enjoy:
Reference:TSR12, ID# 02360492
The following is the information you requested from the FCC Consumer
Center. Thank you for your inquiry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER INFORMATION
______________________
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
______________________________
CALLS MADE FROM PAYPHONES
_________________________
The Communications Act requires the FCC to take actions to promote
competition among payphone service providers and the widespread
deployment of payphone services to the benefit of the general public.
The Act also requires the FCC to ensure fair compensation to payphone
service providers for each and every call placed from payphones.
A payphone service provider is the person or entity who owns the
payphone instrument, such as the local telephone company; an
independent company; or the owner of the premises where the payphone
is located. Payphone service providers are called "PSPs" in this
brochure.
This brochure explains the actions the FCC has taken to carry out its
responsibilities.
_________________________________________________________________________
Are The Coin Rates For Local Calls From Payphones Regulated?
No. Effective October 7, 1997, the FCC deregulated coin rates for all
local calls made from payphones.
Prior to 1996, most payphones were provided by local telephone companies
and received indirect subsidies through the rates paid by consumers for
other types of services. States regulated the coin rate for a local call.
The resulting artificially low prices tended to discourage new companies
from entering the payphone market and also limited the number of payphones
available for the benefit of the public.
In 1996, Congress required that payphones no longer be subsidized in
order to encourage competition and the greater availability of payphones.
The FCC determined that deregulating local coin rates and allowing the
marketplace to set the price of local payphone calls is one of the essen-
tial steps needed to achieve the goals set by Congress.
Deregulation will allow PSPs to receive fair compensation for their
services and will encourage the widespread placement of payphones. Also,
the FCC anticipates that Americans will have greater access to emergency
and public safety services. States may also choose to place public
interest payphones in areas where payphones are necessary for health and
safety reasons.
The Commission intends to actively monitor the payphone marketplace by
regularly meeting with representatives from the states, PSPs, and consumer
advocates.
_________________________________________________________________________
Must I Pay For An Emergency Call?
No. Calls made to emergency numbers, such as 911, and to the
Telecommunications Relay Service, a service of use to people with
disabilities, will be provided free of charge from payphones. You
can also continue to reach an operator without depositing a coin.
_________________________________________________________________________
Can I Still Make Toll-Free Calls From Payphones Without Depositing A Coin?
Yes. However, the Communications Act requires the FCC to establish a
per-call compensation plan to ensure that all PSPs are fairly compensated
for each and every completed intrastate and interstate call using their
payphone -- except for emergency calls and telecommunications relay
service calls for hearing disabled individuals. Prior to 1996, PSPs often
received no compensation for completed intrastate and interstate calls --
including completed toll-free calls -- no matter how frequently callers
used payphones to originate calls.
The FCC carried out its responsibilities by adopting rules that require
long distance telephone companies to compensate PSPs 28.4 cents for each
call they receive from payphones, except those calls for which the PSPs
already collect compensation under a contractual arrangement. Payphone-
originated calls that are unlikely to be the subject of a contract with
the PSPs include calls to 800 telephone numbers or 10XXX access code calls
which connect callers to long distance telephone companies.
The 24 cents per-call compensation rate is a default rate that can be
reduced or increased at any time through an agreement between the long
distance company and the PSP. The FCC encouraged long distance companies
and PSPs to contract with each other for more economically efficient
compensation rates.
Some long distance companies are advising consumers that the FCC
decided that consumers making calls from payphones should pay a per-call
charge to compensate the PSP. The FCC did not make such a decision.
Long distance companies have significant leeway on how to compensate
PSPs. The FCC left it to each long distance company to determine how
it will recover the cost of compensating PSPs.
_________________________________________________________________________
Tips For Consumers
Companies compete for your payphone business. Use your buying power wisely
and shop around. If you think that the rate for placing a call from a pay-
phone is too high, a less expensive payphone could be around the corner.
Also let the PSP know that the rates are too high. It's in their best
interest to meet the needs of their customers. Contact your preferred long
distance company and ask for instructions for placing calls through that
company from a payphone. Also ask what rates or charges apply to calls
placed from payphones. Let the company know if you believe their rate are
too high. Then call other long distance companies and ask about their rates.
_________________________________________________________________________
INFORMAL COMPLAINTS MAY BE SENT TO:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer Information Bureau
Common Carrier Complaints
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
ALL CONSUMER COMPLAINTS MUST BE IN WRITING.
No telephone complaints can be processed by the Bureau.
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.
Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385
(D.C. Circ 1974).
Report No. CC 99-2 COMMON CARRIER ACTION January 28, 1999
COMMISSION RESOLVES PAYPHONE COMPENSATION ISSUES ON REMAND
(CC Docket 96-128)
The Federal Communications Commission today adopted an order
addressing payphone compensation issues remanded by the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit (D.C. Circuit). In today's order, the Commission
resolved compensation issues for so-called "dial-around"
calls, which allow a consumer to use a long distance carrier
other than the payphone's presubscribed carrier. Dial-around
calls include long distance access code calls, such as those
using familiar 10-10-NXX codes, as well as calls to toll free
numbers. Today's order sets a rate of $.24 per call that
long distance companies must pay to owners of payphones for
delivery of these calls. Prior to the 1996 Act, payphone
owners received little or no compensation for these calls
even though they were required by other provisions of the Act
to allow consumers to access these services.
In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the
Commission to establish rules that benefit the public by
promoting the widespread deployment of payphones in a
competitive marketplace. While the Commission in prior
orders largely has achieved the goals of the 1996 Act, the
D.C. Circuit remanded the Commission's rules governing one
payphone issue. The 1996 Act specifically requires the
Commission to establish a per-call compensation plan to
provide fair compensation for all calls made from payphones.
The D.C. Circuit ordered the Commission to provide a better
explanation of its per-call compensation plan.
In today's Order, the Commission reaffirmed that payphone
compensation issues are best addressed in the marketplace by
negotiations between long distance companies and payphone
owners. In the absence of such a negotiated rate, however,
the Commission established a default rate of $.24 per call.
Although this rate represents a reduction from the $.284 rate
remanded by the D.C. Circuit, the Commission explained that
this reduction resulted primarily from the use of more
up-to-date information concerning the costs of providing
payphone service. The Commission emphasized that its
decision would ensure that payphone owners are fairly
compensated while satisfying Congress's mandate to promote
the widespread deployment of payphone services to the benefit
of the public.
In previous orders, the Commission calculated the cost of
providing payphone service using a "top-down" method that
subtracted certain costs from the prevalent price of a local
payphone call. On appeal, the D.C. Circuit questioned this
approach and found that the Commission had not adequately
explained its reasoning in this area. In this order, the
Commission decided to use a "bottom-up" method, in which the
costs of providing payphone service are added together to
calculate a fair compensation amount.
In previous Orders, the Commission already has taken steps to
increase competition in the payphone industry. In those
orders, for example, the Commission eliminated implicit
subsidies that local telephone companies historically
provided to their own payphones because these subsidies gave
local telephone companies an unfair advantage over other
payphone providers. The Commission also established
non-structural safeguards to prevent Bell Operating Companies
from discriminating in favor of their own payphones in the
provision of local service, as well as other measures
designed to place all providers of payphone services
on an equal competitive footing. The Commission also
deregulated the local coin rate for payphone calls to allow
the competitive marketplace to determine the cost for such
calls.
Action by the Commission January 28, 1999, by Third Report
and Order and Order on Reconsideration of Second Report and
Order (FCC 99-7) Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness,
Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani.
-FCC-
Common Carrier Bureau contact: Glenn Reynolds at (202) 418-0960.
News media contact: Emily Hoffnar at (202) 418-0253.
TTY: (202) 418-0485.
Reference:TSR12, ID# 02360492
The following is the information you requested from the FCC Consumer
Center. Thank you for your inquiry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSUMER INFORMATION
______________________
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
______________________________
CALLS MADE FROM PAYPHONES
_________________________
The Communications Act requires the FCC to take actions to promote
competition among payphone service providers and the widespread
deployment of payphone services to the benefit of the general public.
The Act also requires the FCC to ensure fair compensation to payphone
service providers for each and every call placed from payphones.
A payphone service provider is the person or entity who owns the
payphone instrument, such as the local telephone company; an
independent company; or the owner of the premises where the payphone
is located. Payphone service providers are called "PSPs" in this
brochure.
This brochure explains the actions the FCC has taken to carry out its
responsibilities.
_________________________________________________________________________
Are The Coin Rates For Local Calls From Payphones Regulated?
No. Effective October 7, 1997, the FCC deregulated coin rates for all
local calls made from payphones.
Prior to 1996, most payphones were provided by local telephone companies
and received indirect subsidies through the rates paid by consumers for
other types of services. States regulated the coin rate for a local call.
The resulting artificially low prices tended to discourage new companies
from entering the payphone market and also limited the number of payphones
available for the benefit of the public.
In 1996, Congress required that payphones no longer be subsidized in
order to encourage competition and the greater availability of payphones.
The FCC determined that deregulating local coin rates and allowing the
marketplace to set the price of local payphone calls is one of the essen-
tial steps needed to achieve the goals set by Congress.
Deregulation will allow PSPs to receive fair compensation for their
services and will encourage the widespread placement of payphones. Also,
the FCC anticipates that Americans will have greater access to emergency
and public safety services. States may also choose to place public
interest payphones in areas where payphones are necessary for health and
safety reasons.
The Commission intends to actively monitor the payphone marketplace by
regularly meeting with representatives from the states, PSPs, and consumer
advocates.
_________________________________________________________________________
Must I Pay For An Emergency Call?
No. Calls made to emergency numbers, such as 911, and to the
Telecommunications Relay Service, a service of use to people with
disabilities, will be provided free of charge from payphones. You
can also continue to reach an operator without depositing a coin.
_________________________________________________________________________
Can I Still Make Toll-Free Calls From Payphones Without Depositing A Coin?
Yes. However, the Communications Act requires the FCC to establish a
per-call compensation plan to ensure that all PSPs are fairly compensated
for each and every completed intrastate and interstate call using their
payphone -- except for emergency calls and telecommunications relay
service calls for hearing disabled individuals. Prior to 1996, PSPs often
received no compensation for completed intrastate and interstate calls --
including completed toll-free calls -- no matter how frequently callers
used payphones to originate calls.
The FCC carried out its responsibilities by adopting rules that require
long distance telephone companies to compensate PSPs 28.4 cents for each
call they receive from payphones, except those calls for which the PSPs
already collect compensation under a contractual arrangement. Payphone-
originated calls that are unlikely to be the subject of a contract with
the PSPs include calls to 800 telephone numbers or 10XXX access code calls
which connect callers to long distance telephone companies.
The 24 cents per-call compensation rate is a default rate that can be
reduced or increased at any time through an agreement between the long
distance company and the PSP. The FCC encouraged long distance companies
and PSPs to contract with each other for more economically efficient
compensation rates.
Some long distance companies are advising consumers that the FCC
decided that consumers making calls from payphones should pay a per-call
charge to compensate the PSP. The FCC did not make such a decision.
Long distance companies have significant leeway on how to compensate
PSPs. The FCC left it to each long distance company to determine how
it will recover the cost of compensating PSPs.
_________________________________________________________________________
Tips For Consumers
Companies compete for your payphone business. Use your buying power wisely
and shop around. If you think that the rate for placing a call from a pay-
phone is too high, a less expensive payphone could be around the corner.
Also let the PSP know that the rates are too high. It's in their best
interest to meet the needs of their customers. Contact your preferred long
distance company and ask for instructions for placing calls through that
company from a payphone. Also ask what rates or charges apply to calls
placed from payphones. Let the company know if you believe their rate are
too high. Then call other long distance companies and ask about their rates.
_________________________________________________________________________
INFORMAL COMPLAINTS MAY BE SENT TO:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer Information Bureau
Common Carrier Complaints
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
ALL CONSUMER COMPLAINTS MUST BE IN WRITING.
No telephone complaints can be processed by the Bureau.
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.
Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385
(D.C. Circ 1974).
Report No. CC 99-2 COMMON CARRIER ACTION January 28, 1999
COMMISSION RESOLVES PAYPHONE COMPENSATION ISSUES ON REMAND
(CC Docket 96-128)
The Federal Communications Commission today adopted an order
addressing payphone compensation issues remanded by the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit (D.C. Circuit). In today's order, the Commission
resolved compensation issues for so-called "dial-around"
calls, which allow a consumer to use a long distance carrier
other than the payphone's presubscribed carrier. Dial-around
calls include long distance access code calls, such as those
using familiar 10-10-NXX codes, as well as calls to toll free
numbers. Today's order sets a rate of $.24 per call that
long distance companies must pay to owners of payphones for
delivery of these calls. Prior to the 1996 Act, payphone
owners received little or no compensation for these calls
even though they were required by other provisions of the Act
to allow consumers to access these services.
In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the
Commission to establish rules that benefit the public by
promoting the widespread deployment of payphones in a
competitive marketplace. While the Commission in prior
orders largely has achieved the goals of the 1996 Act, the
D.C. Circuit remanded the Commission's rules governing one
payphone issue. The 1996 Act specifically requires the
Commission to establish a per-call compensation plan to
provide fair compensation for all calls made from payphones.
The D.C. Circuit ordered the Commission to provide a better
explanation of its per-call compensation plan.
In today's Order, the Commission reaffirmed that payphone
compensation issues are best addressed in the marketplace by
negotiations between long distance companies and payphone
owners. In the absence of such a negotiated rate, however,
the Commission established a default rate of $.24 per call.
Although this rate represents a reduction from the $.284 rate
remanded by the D.C. Circuit, the Commission explained that
this reduction resulted primarily from the use of more
up-to-date information concerning the costs of providing
payphone service. The Commission emphasized that its
decision would ensure that payphone owners are fairly
compensated while satisfying Congress's mandate to promote
the widespread deployment of payphone services to the benefit
of the public.
In previous orders, the Commission calculated the cost of
providing payphone service using a "top-down" method that
subtracted certain costs from the prevalent price of a local
payphone call. On appeal, the D.C. Circuit questioned this
approach and found that the Commission had not adequately
explained its reasoning in this area. In this order, the
Commission decided to use a "bottom-up" method, in which the
costs of providing payphone service are added together to
calculate a fair compensation amount.
In previous Orders, the Commission already has taken steps to
increase competition in the payphone industry. In those
orders, for example, the Commission eliminated implicit
subsidies that local telephone companies historically
provided to their own payphones because these subsidies gave
local telephone companies an unfair advantage over other
payphone providers. The Commission also established
non-structural safeguards to prevent Bell Operating Companies
from discriminating in favor of their own payphones in the
provision of local service, as well as other measures
designed to place all providers of payphone services
on an equal competitive footing. The Commission also
deregulated the local coin rate for payphone calls to allow
the competitive marketplace to determine the cost for such
calls.
Action by the Commission January 28, 1999, by Third Report
and Order and Order on Reconsideration of Second Report and
Order (FCC 99-7) Chairman Kennard, Commissioners Ness,
Furchtgott-Roth, Powell, and Tristani.
-FCC-
Common Carrier Bureau contact: Glenn Reynolds at (202) 418-0960.
News media contact: Emily Hoffnar at (202) 418-0253.
TTY: (202) 418-0485.