Hi I couldn't find the phone call forum where this is being discussed so I am posting it here.

Cliff called me today saying there was a memo next to the public phone at San Quentin addressed to the inmates. It was notifying them that as of June 24, 2002 there would be no more out going collect calls to those whose families did not subscribe to the MCI Worldcom plan. In other words, if their family didn't have an MCI agreement with their phone company, the inmates' calls would not go thru. We all know this is just plain unfair. Not only did MCI get $80 million dollars in collect call fees, but the CDC got $23 million out of it. This is clearly a scam to get money with out concern for anyone. Just because it's inmates we're talking about, it doesn't matter.

Anyone hear anything about this? Let me know where this is being discussed, or move this post to that forum. Thanks.

Hi I posted this in the California, USA Forum also.

Cliff called me today saying there was a memo next to the public phone at San Quentin addressed to the inmates.

It was notifying them that as of June 24, 2002 there would be no more out going collect calls to those whose families did not subscribe to the MCI Worldcom plan. In other words, if their family didn't have an MCI agreement with their phone company, the inmates' calls would not go thru. We all know this is just plain unfair. Not only did MCI get $80 million dollars in collect call fees, but the CDC got $23 million out of it. This is clearly a scam to get money with out concern for anyone. Just because it's inmates we're talking about, it doesn't matter.

Anyone hear anything about this?
Thanks.

That's a civil suit in the making... hmmmm.... wonder if MCI ever heard of the legalities against monopoly. And No! I'm not talking about the game.

I guess they are paying too much attention to Bill Gates/Microsoft court battle.

My husband has not said one word about this and I just saw him yesterday. I will ask him when he calls tomorrow. I can't imagine that this is legal, but nothing surprises me with the CDC!!

how can this possibly be legal??? aren't people gonna fight this

by the way, I'll move it to the right place for you, Veronica

Very interesting Veronica...that can't be legal!!
MCI is making these people that arent' subscribed w/their service have to redo everything & possibly change whatever BETTER service they had to theirs. I had MCI & I didn't really like it!

Hmm...I think I smell a lawsuit!

Well I just read these interesting posts on MCI....Since my guy has been transferred to Virginia (from Massachusetts)...I've not been happy with the $ 9.40 for 15 minute calls...But after some 'work' I just received a $142.18 credit from MCI...Here's what I did...
I called MCI customer service and asked what the current contracted rate was for interstate collect calls from a correctional facility in Virginia to Connecticut. They gave me a much lower cost than what I was charged...Now if they put you with a customer service that directly deals with correctional facilities, I probably would not have received the credit. I don't think regular MCI customer service knows how to look for the contracted rate...they just gave me the regular collect call charges. This may be a one time deal, but it sure helped!! If there is enough interest...I can post the MCI numbers...but I recommend anyone with MCI, Sprint, AT &T etc. call and ask what the CURRENT CONTRACTED rate is...and compare it to your bill...You may get lucky!!
PAM

We would all be willing to try anything to alleviate the high rates we are stuck with! You can't post those MCI #'s fast enough! Maybe it will work for some and not others but it is definately something to look into, and thank you for the info!

My husband called tonight and I asked if he had heard anything about this. He said that he hadn't but that he'll ask around. There is no way that we are going to let this one slide! Count me in on any actions needed to stop MCI from doing this. The State of California makes so much money on these collect calls ($35,000,000.00 to the general fund last year) that I'm sure that they will get a huge kickback from everyone switching to MCI. Believe me, MCI is not the only one that will make money off of this!

It's all true. Every word. I don't think we can do anything about it. MCI, as well as Ma Bell and AT&T all bid for the contract. And yes, it means you have to switch if your current phone company doesn't have a deal with MCI Worldnet for collect calls for prisons. Anyone who finds info on any lawsuits pending on this, I would be interested in helping.

Thanks, Soraya, for moving it!

That is a bunch of crock how can they do that!?!?
Sounds to me like they are trying to get some customers and what a way to do it. That is so wrong. WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! MCI is a complete rip-off!

OKAY AM I UNDERSTANDING THIS RIGHT. AS OF JUNE 24 WE MUST HABE AN ACCOUNT WITH MCI OR CALLS WILL NOT GO THROUGH? MY HUSBAND IS FEDERAL AND IS MOVING TO HIS FACILITY JUNE 25. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO ENSURE HE WILL BE BALE TO CALL ME? THANKS

Kim,

Billy is in federal and he hasn't said anything about any phone calls. He's been calling me direct on my cell phone. I will ask him. I think federal rules are different than state. We are in WV though, it may be different where your's is going. I'll ask anyway.

That is unfair i think does that go for nys prisons to?

I think that it's totally unfair.

IT'S GETTING BAD EVERYWHERE.... I HAVE AT&T AS MY LONG DISTANCE CARRIER AT HOME.... ALL OF MY INMATE PHONE CALLS COME DIRECTLY TO ME AND AT & T BILLS THEM... BUT...10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS, I HAVE CONCORD TELEPHONE COMPANY AS MY LD CARRIER.... THE EVERCOM PRISON PHONE SYSTEM WILL NOT USE THEM AS A BILLING CARRIER, SO I HAVE TO MAKE A PREPAID DEPOSIT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE PHONE CALLS HERE.... THIS IS SO STRANGE, BECAUSE FOR 12 YEARS I HAVE BEEN RECEIVING CALLS HERE.... I THINK THEY HAVE GOTTEN SO FAR OUT OF HAND THAT IT IS UNREAL...

SINCERELY
DONNA

I agree it is crazy!!
For me in order to get a discount on the phone calls from EJ I had to switch my long distance carrier to AT&T. Since AT&T is the carrier for the prison he is in, I get a "slight" discount on the phone calls & I could also sign up for their Corrections Plan which gives me a 15% discount on the calls. Well I got my first bill over the weekend. I got the discount, but it was on the total for the calls, not the whole thing like AFTER taxes!! I had more taxes on the calls & my long distance calls than it was worth having that 15% discount!!

It's nothing but a way to suck more money out of us because they know that telephone communication is 1 of the more important things for us & our loved 1's!!
Makes me SICK!!!!

Hi everybody! Yes, it did happen. Cliff and I were worried about the phones and he was supposed to call me Monday as a test. He didn't call and he had phone time scheduled. I haven't heard from him yet, so I beleive that the CDC collect calls have been terminated if you don't have an agreement with MCI WorldCom. BUT, I just read this about WorldCom, and thought you guys might like to read it too.

---------------------------
WorldCom Finds $3.8 Billion Error, Fires CFO
Tue Jun 25, 9:29 PM ET
By Peter Henderson
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -
WorldCom Inc., the No. 2 U.S. long-distance carrier, on Tuesday said it had fired its chief financial officer after uncovering improper accounting of almost $4 billion in expenses, in the latest financial scandal to rock Corporate America.

WorldCom also said it would cut 17,000 jobs,
or more than 20 percent of its work force,
starting on Friday, a cost-cutting move
expected to save $900 million on an annual
basis.

The Clinton, Mississippi-based company said
that accounting irregularities involving expenses misrecorded as capital expenditures had inflated its cash flow and that otherwise it would have reported a net loss for 2001 and the first quarter of 2002.

The accounting irregularities, which did not conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, included transfers between internal accounts of $3.06 billion in 2001 and $797 million in the first quarter of 2002.

Accounting firm Andersen, whose role as the auditor of Enron helped lead to the energy trader's collapse, had audited WorldCom's financial statements for 2001.

Shares of WorldCom had plunged in after hours trading on Tuesday following a report by CNBC that the company had uncovered accounting irregularities.

The stock fell to 20 cents a share on the Island system from a close of 83 cents on Nasdaq. The previous closing low was 87 cents, while the stock had traded as high as $16.06 in the past 52 weeks.
WorldCom also said it had fired Chief Financial Officer Scott Sullivan and accepted the resignation of David Myers as senior vice president and controller.

"Our senior management team is shocked by these discoveries," said John Sidgmore, WorldCom CEO for less than two months. "I want to assure our customers and employees that the company remains viable and committed to a long-term future. Our services are in no way affected by this matter," he said in a statement......
--end------

Services no-way affected? Try hiking up collect calls from state prisons in California and monopolizing the market????
JMO

Stephanie was arrested Sept. 06,2001.To date we have spent $7800.00 on phone calls from her to us.Steve&kids

MCI strikes again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve - How do you do it? I'm worried because mine are starting to average 300-350...I'll have to get a second job soon to cover the charges, but I don't want to give them up!
May I ask how much you get charged per call? Mine is 9:40 for 15 minutes. When he get's moved to his permanent spot, I plan to get a local phone number near him, and just have the number forwarded...it should cut the costs in half!

Pamela

I made a BIG mistake and I'm sorry if it set off anybody. Cliff called this morning so the phone calls were not discontinued. I do not have MCI, I have AT&T. I am dreadfully sorry. He was on lockdown, so I assumed since he hadn't called the collect calls were discontinued. Maybe since the firing of the CFO, they postponed it. Probably not. I have no other info at this time. Again, I am sorry!!!

I have verizon, but MCI controls the collect calls and adds it to my phone bill. Sprint is my long distance carrier, but the collect calls come through my reg. phone bill. If you listen to the recording when they call, it will tell you which company has the contract for that prison.

When my man was transferred to a new facility last year I also had to get the MCI correctional facilities customer service dept on the line. I had to switch to MCI, also. I am one hour away from him and pay 7.50 for 15 mins. At the present I owe 400. and he can't call collect cause they now have it blocked and interest is adding up. I believe all CA is soon to be contracted with MCI. A real crock of boo boo!

Anyway, I will get info because my man is involved with other inmates in a getting a lawsuit together regarding this. I will ask him this weekend where I can look for more info on this lawsuit and let you all know what I find out.

Also, at Friends on the Outside, last year there was a flyer in a facility around San Fran that stated families of inmates in CA were protesting the rates MCI charges and lobbying regarding this. I will try to find the flyer but I think I threw it out.

T:pissed: :argh :fb:

Hi Mrs. H!! (smiles)

looking forward to that information! With World Com digging themselves deep in the hole from all their corrupt dealings, I don't think they would want even more lawsuits! But we'll do it!!!!

Pamela