yes i agree about mci my husband is in a correctional facility, when mci was with verizon i would pay 108.00 115.00 a month now that mci has it own contract with the prisions my phone bill is so high it terrible i now have my husband call twice a week because i cannot afford it. I wish something can do done about this, it really hurts the children
because they cannot speak to their dad it's bad enough that he is by Watertown ny 6 hrs away.

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MCI has the Inmate Prison collect calls contract for all the prisons in the state of California.
They are forcing us to pay our bill without any paper trail using our credit or ATM accounts via phone to a foreign country (Argentina). This not an acceptable situation and I feel it is very risky to do so. If the bill is not paid MCI puts a block on our calls and we have no way of recieving a call from our loved ones in the prison system.

I think what MCI is doing by forcing the families of inmates to go by their rules is in humane. What is MCI the new Nazi Germany? I have by choice the carrier that I use for my phone, I shouldn't have to be told by any company that I have to use them. This is such a scam and the worse part is the prisions are getting a cut from MCI. I'm talking about the prisions in California. Something has to be done to stop this in humane act. I have a nephew that in the last 23 days he has lost is grandmohter, girlfried and on 4/5/06 he lost his mother. and because I was able to contact MCI in the two days they gave me to sign up with them. My phone was blocked and now my nephew had no way of communicating with me after all his love ones he's lost. I contacted McI and explained to them the circumstance and asked if they could unblock the phone as an emergency and I was told no that they had no control it was done automatically. Something needs to be done.

I also am forced to use MCI and they do have control
of blocking and unblocking and they are trained to be
rude to the paying customer as I have a friend who works
for the phone company and MCI has control if they want
to or not to unblock your phone. I to feel like iam
living in a third world country, the Bible talks about
the last days and how people's hearts will grow cold
towards other human beings. Maybe when it hits home
they will change there ways of thinking......

I get calls from my daughter in a Kentucky correctional facility and I have no say over which phone carrier I use. After my bill reaches 100 dollars they cut my phone off. I think this is outrages and we need to be able to use our own phone carrier.

I have been trying for a week to get an account set up with MCI for prison calls. I have sent a fax as requested, no less than 4 times, and each day I get the call back later speach.
Like others, they blocked my phone with little warning. Anyone have any suggestions?

I ALSO DON'T AGREE WITH WORKING WITH MCI AT ALL THEY ARE VERY RUDE WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO GET YOUR ACCOUNT SET UP WITH THEM. IT IS VERY HARD TO TRY TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH OUR LOVED ONES AND THIS IS VERY STRESSFUL ON ALL OF US.
THIS JUST AIN'T RIGHT HOW THESE PEOPLE JUST BLOCK AND UNBLOCK OUR CALLS IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF WE DON'T PAY BUT WE DO PAY TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH OUR LOVED ONES. IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF SOMEONE CAN HELP THIS TO STOP!!!

MCI has struck yet again in CA. Now, they are billing separately and will cut service when the bill reaches $100 until it is paid. Besides this being a monopoly, they are assuming that everyone does not know how to control their own spending, they are inflating the charges, and they don't even have the decency to examine the history of customers to determine if, in fact, this is something that needs to be done for everyone. Are there any other services, is there an ongoing campaign to get MCI out of this picture, if so, please let me know how to contact them.

I live in Georgia. My fiance is in a correctional facility here. The rates that mci charges are ridiculous $6.80 for 15 minutes. This is insane to pay this amount. I just wish I was on the recieving end on who is making profit off of us single parents trying to do it by ourselves. In a world where they want to offer you no assistance. Oh ya and those operator's who set up the accounts, who can understand them? I know I can't and she was very rude to me. We have to stand up and do something about this. They are taking advantage of us.

I am in Nevada And I have had the same experience as other folks in other states Please post where I can complain or protest this situation. Thx

I THINK IT IS CRAZY THAT WE DONT HAVE A CHOICE OF OUR OWN CARRIER. I RECENTLY MOVED IN MY APT. AND THEY SAY THAT IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING BILL AT MY ADDRESS WITH A PREVIOUS TENANT AND I HAVE TO PAY THE BILL BEFORE THEY WILL UNBLOCK A PREPAID ACCOUNT THAT I HAVE WITH MCI

MCI should not force you to pay a bill that is not yours. You need to contact the Public Utilities Commissioner in your state. They need to know about those practices. You may not get immediate results, but if you don't voice the problem, they don't know it exists. I think the one thing we all can do is to keep our service with another carrier other than MCI where possible. We can also let the public know of their practices. By bouycotting, we hit them where they can feel it. This can affect them though they are making too much off of these calls. What are the possibilities of getting some sort of calling card system in use in the prison systems?

I live in Ohio. MCI has taken over the prison phone lines for Cincinnati. My local carrier will no longer allow prison calls to come through their lines. I was FORCED to set up a prepaid account with MCI. The only number my partner can call is MINE now. If something happens to me out here, he cannot call my neighbor to find out anything about me. This total bullcrap and talk about America is the land of democracy ? Ha Ha Ha ! Its communism to say the least. Inmates should be allowed to call whoever they want and if that person wants to accept the call then so be it. Theres not much we can do is there ? No matter how loud we scream in Ohio, nothing is done. The proof is when they passed the "truth in sentencing" law in '96. The old law inmates who must see the parole board in order to be granted their freedom are not getting a parole while others sentenced after '96 dont have to see those satanic people ! ITS CRAZY IN OHIO !!!

MCI charges $20.00 per 15 minute call from Ga prison to me 2 states away...They block the line as they see fit, when they see fit. They (MCI) want the "bill" paid before you ever receive one. Also, the billing statements are inaccurate. Sometimes the call is lost or doesn't click on once the call is accepted. I am still responsible for the full call. I HATE MCI and really wish there were a clear recourse. They have the monopoly on prison phones in Georgia and from the looks of this blog, all over the U.S. The prison systems are happy with the rip off because they are funded through the scheme as well as by the free labor.

July 14,2006 I was waiting for a collect call from my brother who has been in KSP over 20 years.This was the day he went up for parole and MCI blocked my phone.This is our only way of contact.I called them of course and begged for some kind of mercy so I could get the call well it didn't matter to them.My account was always paid on time every month through BellSouth I don't understand how they can put such demamnds on families who rely on there calls from their loved ones.Just another form of control over peoples personal lives.

My husband is incarcerated in the State of Ohio. I live in West Virginia. He has been in prison since 1991. One 15 minute phone call is $18.98. I have paid over $100,000.00 in phone calls over the past 15 years. When he was sentenced our three daughter's were 3, 1 and 2 days old. They are now 18, 16 and 15. They still talk to their father everyday. He plays a very important role in their lives whether the prison system likes it or not. They do not set up the rules to keep familes together. They try to tear them apart. I have had a second job for 13 years just to pay the phone bill. By the way, does anyone ever get to talk to some who actually speaks ENGLISH!! from MCI. Stay strong and don't leave your loved one alone. Just keep hoping that someone will bring these people (phone companies) to justice.

I just got confirmation that I am not alone when I say I hate MCI. Something has to be done about the monoploy MCI has on prison calls.
Our loved ones suffer because if we accept more than 2 calls a week our service gets restricted.
This is pure and utter crap.And as far as understanding their operators, they're in Bangladesh! Go figure

I hate MCI!!

Down with MCI!!

My husband has not been able to call for a few weeks. I finally found out through MCI that they have put a permanant block on my phone because I had my calls forwarded to my cell phone, (since I have to work two jobs to pay the freakin' phone bill I am not home at the times he can call.) so that I can talk to him. After paying MCI $100,000.00 over the past 15 years, maybe they can cut me some slack? Lift the block and I promise to never apply call forwarding again. FORGET IT! I could not even talk to a supervisor or someone that could help me. So after 15 years and 20 more to go. I can no longer talk to my husband over the phone and he can no longer speak to his children. Nice huh....Gotta love that State of Ohio.

My husband is in Mule Creek prison, in California. My children have not heard from him in almost a year because MCI has chosen to block our phone for him. Our bills are paid, on time EVERY MONTH and we have never been late. But apparently,they can randomly decide who should be allowed to talk to their loved ones and who can not.

Why can't ALL prisons have the ability to purchse phone cards? So that they are not calling collect?

Why should the goverment make the choice of who our long distance carrier is? (kick back?) I live in ohio and the carrier is MCI from prison even though I have ATT as my long distance carrier. Anyone got an answer? If so send me an e-mail at njordan746@aol.com. I think it's BS

I am in Michigan, Had to have deposit of $50.00 that was never used, moved and my new number and phone service company sent them a letter head that gave all of my info. I had my block taken off of my new number and got 2 calls... DID'NT get a bill, they blocked it again, I called them and they said that I owed a bill... the non ENGISH speaking person said that They can't transfer that, after I was told that there would be NO PROBLEM to do that when I gave them My Money. I have paid the BILL 4 MONTHS Ago and I STILL can't get the block off!!! They have the deposit that they won't transfer... Have the bill paid , AND STILL I can't get calls. MCI IS A MAJOR RIPP OFF!!!!!
Here is some good news... Try a service called prisoncallsonline.com calls are much less if your prison is listed.... Good luck!

I have a 6 year old son who looks forward to his phone calls from his father ( who is in a NY state prison) because of this MCI carrier only my phone bill is outrageous, not only am I a single mother busting my butt to provide for my son, I also have to tell him that he can not accept calls from his dad because I cant afford it.... Thank you New York..... I know that his father made some stupid decisions in life but why should the innocent ones suffer too???

I too am a victim of MCI... I pay my bill on time, however, I just found out that my calls are blocked and I don't owe any money!!!!

Something needs to be done to address this issue of MCI just blatanly stealing money from people. I came upon this web site to late to show support for the protest of MCI Prison Phone Scam...however, I wonder if an petitioned has been started, if so, how can I be on it... Maybe a petition to the president or someone in congress can address this issue to make it illegal to steal from people just because a loved one is imprisoned.

So we all know now that this is one of the biggest rip-off scams allowed by the US Government! They know that MCI/World COM or whatever they call themselves, are a buch of gangsters.And they allow this "company" to rip us off in just about the majority of states of this lovely country! We , who are not incarcerated WILL carry the burden/punishment of incarceration of others.The government can stop this but they simply won't.. God help us!

I live in Ohio and I now am a victim of MCI I would never use them as a local service but since I have a husband in a correctional institution I have to deal with them. It horrible the way they make it for us I've been a customer in good standing since 2002 and you would think I would have some special priveledges the Customer Service I recieve from their operator are always unpleasant and I wish more people from Ohio could rally together and stop this maddness from MCI they are taking advange of people and stealing our money!!! If anyone wants to start a petition to stop MCI count me in!!!!!!

We live in Ohio. My daughter uses MCI to keep in touch with her son's father in Grafton Correctional Facility. They use my home phone as she only has a cell phone. She recently paid the company an excess of over one hundred dollars (because they called and said she owed money, which she did not). They then applied this money to the regular phone bill. MCI workers call my home at least three times a month when her balance is at twenty-five dollars or less requesting she add more money to her current program with them. It is the biggest rip-off I have ever witnessed. The shame in all of this is that prison is already big business, and institutionalized racism. Now they make the free person pay for the incarceration of their family members. I am appalled that the Communications Commission allows them to get away with with these actions. What can we do?

Well first of all andrea in gorgia if you get a 15 minute call for 6.80 you need to be greatful, as for in California my 15 minute call is 21.65 any time day or night weekday or weekend! and now I cant even get a call back to get set up for the pre pay account they wont talk to me because I went off on them for reason of last 5 months I have paid faithfully and now all of a sudden I get cut off service and my baby boy just goes to prison for 6 years and now he cant call when he need to most! He writes momma please take that block off phone I really need to talk to you! Please someone help us!

Well first of all andrea in gorgia if you get a 15 minute call for 6.80 you need to be greatful, as for in California my 15 minute call is 21.65 any time day or night weekday or weekend! and now I cant even get a call back to get set up for the pre pay account they wont talk to me because I went off on them for reason of last 5 months I have paid faithfully and now all of a sudden I get cut off service and my baby boy just goes to prison for 6 years and now he cant call when he need to most! He writes momma please take that block off phone I really need to talk to you! Please someone help us!

Decent words cannot describe what I think of MCI's exploitation of a group in our society than can hardly afford such outrageous charges. Worse yet are the politicians that share in the greed. Who knows how much is passed along under the table and shared without anyone knowing it. If such underhanded and unreasonable tactics were done by businesses on the general public (without payoffs under the table) these same greedy politicians would be screaming about all the wrong doing (of course until they got their share of the loot). I guess nothing will ever be done about such. I would like to express my actual feelings using the appropriate words, but the chances of it reaching the ones I'm talking to are slim to none, so I won't waste them on the others like me that know what I mean and feel the same way. (&(^&$R&*G*_)U_(&*R*FY_(^*&&($%E

Now that Verizon has bought MCI, the same lowlife, underhanded, political payoff process established by MCI don't expect anything to change. You don't cook a goose laying golden eggs. Verizon is just as uncaring, cold heated and greedy as MCI ever was. You might want to think about cancelling any services you have with MCI new dictatorship Verizon and boycott any of their many sevices and let them know why whenever you cancel cell phone service, DSL service, local telephone service and long distance service plus any other thing with the Verizon name on it. But don't get too upset if they don't care.....(*&(&*(%&*(%(*)_U(G*^T*(^^_OU_(Y

I think and feel that this is so so wrong. This affects the loved ones, the children of the loved ones in prison and also the ones in prison where all their rights have been taken away. They don't get proper medical treatment, the prisons are so over populated and now this. My God, and they are actually some of them are dying in there for the wrong unlawful reasons. This is to me totally unacceptable!!!!!

Yeah!! And I hate the way they block without warning, and by the time you realize that he didn't call was because they BLOCKED it, it can take up to 24 hours to unblock!!! Imagine, being locked up, and the only way to feel the love is with that little 15 minute slice of heaven, you have been waiting all day to call, and it is blocked!!!!AH!!!

my son is in lawrence county jail costed me 10.00 for a 2 minute call from him. this is highway robbery, plus i'm on fixed a fixed income,ken hawkins won't put the prepaid correctional phone cards there or even a inmate letter box either to save use a postage stamp

cheryl

I am very upset with MCI. They are ripping people off very bad..and they have all of the control.
I have ALWAYS paid my phone bill, local and to MCI. Now I feel like I am being treated like a prisoner. I pay my MCI account using my credit card. It seems like the more I pay the more then claim I owe. I am a good person, and dont believe in hurting others. BUT...MCI is hurting me and dont give a Da--. This needs to STOP. Someone needs to investigate MCI for prison calls. Just because our love ones or in prison, we still LOVE them and they need to hear from us. Some people never know how things like this feel...until they go through it...Then again...SOME people go through it and want others to SUFFER for their loved ones inprisonment. Who ever is in charge of this MCI ripoff..We may not be able to justify it. BUT GOD CAN...AND HE WILL! So be careful MCI payday is just around the corner. GOD will see to that. Cincinnati,Ohio.

I am very upset with MCI. They are ripping people off very bad..and they have all of the control.
I have ALWAYS paid my phone bill, local and to MCI. Now I feel like I am being treated like a prisoner. I pay my MCI account using my credit card. It seems like the more I pay the more they claim I owe. I am a good person, and dont believe in hurting others. BUT...MCI is hurting me and dont give a Da--. This needs to STOP. Someone needs to investigate MCI for prison calls. Just because our love ones or in prison, we still LOVE them and they need to hear from us. Some people never know how things like this feel...until they go through it...Then again...SOME people go through it and want others to SUFFER for their loved ones inprisonment. Who ever is in charge of this MCI ripoff, we may not be able to justify it. BUT GOD CAN...AND HE WILL! So be careful MCI payday is just around the corner. GOD will see to that. Cincinnati,Ohio.

MCI... May be making money now off the love ones of prison inmates. BUT God will make their lives a living nightmire before soon. Everyone in prison is not bad. Just got caught up in a bad situation. IT COULD HAPPEN TO THE HEAD PERSON AT MCI. We would love to read about it. HaHaHa! MCI need to have a little more compassion for inmates and their Families. I Hope MCI reads all of these Family cocncerns. Even if they dont read them....GOD is not only reading them....BUT HE Knows what MCI is doing to hurt inmates and their Families. Hopeful and with Prayer....MCI will soon be History!! Go To HELL MCI! Mary and Sue from Cincinnati, Ohio. With sons in prison.

I have a nephrew who is in prison. I hear my poor sister always talk about how MCI is ripping her off on phone bills. My sister love her son and so do I. MCI is not being fair at all with inmates and their love ones. I know for a fact that my sister pays her MCI bill as well as all her bills. But MCI is so darn unfare, they dont care. Someone need to get control of this Bull. MCI needs to be investicated for inmate calls....I AM A PISSED OFF UNCLE on behalf of my Sister and My Newphew who is in prison.

MCI..Inmate calls.... YOU ALL NEED TO BE ASHAME of yourselves. YES the word is spreading FAST. More love ones is being aware of this website. MCI...Should not NO LONGER have control of inmates being able to talk to their love ones. The Prisons dont give a Damm about our love ones...But we do. So if we can not talk to them, who do they have to talk to. YES...we can write letters, but hearing their voice is so much more Important. Lets get rid of MCI Prison inmate calls. They are nothing but a ripoff. I support this 100%. I dont have a love one in prison at this time...BUT I know Friends that does. MCI sucks, and MUST GO! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.....FROM MY HEART

I'm not sure if any of you know how inmate calls work, but the prisons get 50% of the revenue from the calls, which is the reason why it is so high (source of revenue to fund the costs of prison operation). The telcos have to cover the equipment / service costs. I'm not an advocate of the telcos by any means, and they are making money. The rates suck, but deal with it...prisons suck up too much tax dollars as it is, think of it as helping to feed your loved one while he/she is serving their time.

I agree with you all. So what do we do about it?

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I don't know why MCI is allowed to continuosly rip people off, block phone lines, for no reasons. Monopoly phone companies were broken up, years ago, but MCI has the monopoly on inmate phone calls. The reason nothing is done, I guess, is because the state, in which one lives, is getting a kickback, from the phone calls. MCI blocks phone lines, without warning, makes it very difficult to set up an account with them, and like someone said above, you can't understand who you are talking to, as it sounds like they have nothing but foreigners answering phones, if you are fortunate enough to get an actual person to talk to.

I understand that when a person goes to jail they are being punished.But I think it is outrageous that the family has to suffer with these phone bill. Why can the inmate earn a calling card so they comunicate with there love ones.

My brother is in a California state prison and I too have had difficulty with MCI. They told me I had to fax my Local phone bill to them to establish an account because they were no longer billing through the local carrier. I refused to do this and they blocked my phone. I haven't spoken to my brother in a month. Yet just last week I received a new phone bill and there were MCI charges on it. I paid the bill but my phone has not been unblocked. What can I do? I've called the FCC and Better business bureau but no one seems interested in their practices. How is it Bill Gates gets fined for a Monopoly with his internet explorer and MCI doesn't?????

I live in PA and my finace is incarcerated in CT. and of course .. MCI is the controlling phone company. How is it legal for them,MCI, to dominate the phone lines just because of the situation?
Is there something I can do to make a difference?
Seems like MCI has the ability to do what ever they wish.
Doesn't matter that I pay my bill each month...and to my knowledge I only missed one month paying and it was because I did not realize I had a bill since i normally pay over the phone or on line...with that MCI reduced my call limit from 100.00 to 50.00 with out even notifying me.
Betty Hunt PA

I just received my bill from MCI for collect calls made from an Ohio correctional facility to my home here in Florida. $17.14 for a 15 minute call. Over $1 a minute. The shortest call was for 3 minutes for $6.58.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYBODY HAD TO SAY ABOUT MCI. HOW THEY JUST BLOCK YOUR PHONE WITHOUT WARNING, AND WANT YOU TO PAY THE BILL EVEN BEFORE YOU GET IT. I'VE NEVER BEEN LATE. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. AND THEY ARE AWFULLY DAMN RUDE.IT SHOULD BE WHERE WE COULD GET EVERY INMATE IN ALL FIFTY STATES NOT TO MAKE ANY CALLS, JUST FOR A FEW DAYS.REMEMBER THE BUS BOYCOTT, ROSA PARKS. THATS THE ONLY WAY, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYBODY HAD TO SAY ABOUT MCI. HOW THEY JUST BLOCK YOUR PHONE WITHOUT WARNING, AND WANT YOU TO PAY THE BILL EVEN BEFORE YOU GET IT. I'VE NEVER BEEN LATE. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. AND THEY ARE AWFULLY DAMN RUDE.IT SHOULD BE WHERE WE COULD GET EVERY INMATE IN ALL FIFTY STATES NOT TO MAKE ANY CALLS, JUST FOR A FEW DAYS.REMEMBER THE BUS BOYCOTT, ROSA PARKS. THATS THE ONLY WAY, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.

MCI has done it again. I have moved 3 times in the last 2 years. MCI has went from sending a bill to billing through the phone company and now prepaid. Their customer service is the worst I have ever encountered from any service organization. When I called to transfer the service to the new phone number I was told the current account had to be closed and a new account opened. Then I was told that the account could not be opened until I had a phone bill to fax to them. I explained that the phone bill would be 6 weeks before received. They didn't care. By the way the account that had to be closed had a credit, yet MCI had a block on it. I was told I would receive a refund in 8-10 weeks. It has been 8 weeks but I am not holding my breath. Yet they couldn't open the a new account without a deposit. It has been a week since the fax was sent and still no account number.

HOWEVER, you can send formal complaints via regular mail to:
MCI
PO Box 187
Worthington Springs, FL 32697

I have informed MCI that I will not be renewing my Verizon cell phone accoutns and that I have told everyone I know and meet not to use MCI or Verizon services as the customer service is horrible and the people they use do not have good English speaking skills (they talk like they have a mounth full of --it).

Mail your complain today!

This post is directed to Scott, who posted on September 15 at 10:03. First of all, I do agree that the prison system gets a kick-back from these phone calls. But- do not assume that this is the price that the family needs to pay for their loved ones to eat. For your information, my husband pays for everything he uses in prison. His soap, clothes, food, stamps for his letters, etc... I pay for these things for my husband, not the State or the Phone Companys. I send him money that I work for every week so he does not have to go without these necessaties. I am not complaining about sending my husband money to eat, but I will complain that they charge me $18.98 for a fifteen minute phone call that he has with his daughter. Obviously you do not have a loved one in prison, or you would know that the State does not supply them with anyting. You want something, you better have money on your books for it or you WILL do without it.

MCI has yet to send me a paper bill or an invoice. I called and all they sent me was a slip where I was to put in the amount that I was sending. I have nothing in writting showing the mins, connection fees etc. Yes I have gone on line and it always says unable to give invoice due to billing cycle. My husband may of lost his rights, but I still have mine and am writting the Governor and who ever else I think might help in fixing this problem.

This is the worst setup I've ever seen in my life.How do they get away with charging us long distance by the mile?? I always get my line blocked on the weekend and of course they aren't opened so I can make a payment! There is no warning,just BAM, shut off. I did the prepay and they can't even let you know that you're near the end of your credit limit?It's 2006,can't they do an automated thing where we can add money to the account when the damn place is shut down??MCI,you're stealing us blind and you're worse than most of the inmates! Most of us are struggling with our loved ones in prison and MCI is taking advantage of that. We're all missing that added income and MCI is making it impossible to stay in touch with our loved ones. I have to work 2 jobs just to keep the phone line open. $300 a month just to hear his voice for 15 minutes. Can't someone help us??? ANY POLITICIAN WITH A HEART AND BRAIN IN THE SAME BODY?? They worry about the prisoners in Guantanomo?? OURS ARE TREATED WORSE and they aren't trying to kill us!

After a month of not receiving phone calls from our loved one I ran across this site and figured this had to be the reason our loved one all the sudden couldn't call us. I called MCI and sure enough they blocked our phone line despite the fact that for the six months we have been receiving these calls we have never missed a payment. Some bull about not allowing it to go through my local carrier anymore and having to set up an account with them. I faxed in the phone bill just like they said and then a day later they call to say they couldn't read my address and would have to fax it again and wait another 48 hours. I was freaking out and waited 30 minutes on hold only to be told supervisors didn't take complaints from "this" department. I screamed that I was not the criminal here and that this run around was ridiculous. I am just so angry right now and to know that I have to wait even longer now to speak to my loved one. Ahhhhh! You would think they would jump on the opportunity to have my almost 200 dollars a month back. I mean I have a masters degree and they were speaking to me like I was ignorant when they couldn't even speak english because they are some branch company from Pakistan taking jobs from us Americans. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE!!!!!!

I too am disillusioned with the MCI pre-paid phone rates in Virginia. You only get ten minutes for almost $5.oo a call. This can amount up to $30.00 a week if calling everyday. I think we should be able to use our own service and at a lower rate. Who are the real criminals?

I am so pissed off. My husband is in KVSP and I have not heard from him in over two weeks. He didn't call and I have been worried. So I called, no lock down and my phone bill has been paid through Verizon. I couldn't figure out what the hell was wrong. I spoke to a friend and she told me about the MCI bull crap. So I got their number through verizon (who claims to be totally clueless as to what's going on) and sure enough MCI blocked my number. I hate them so much. My husband needs his family, to hear our voices and we hear his. This is such bull...We talk once a week on a sat or sun for two 15min calls back to back totaling 8 calls a month ranging from $5.18 to $6.30 a call depending on that sometimes we are disconnected. I am now worried. Will the rates change. I am a nurses assistant with home care and I took on an extra case so I can pay for my calls which I have no problem with. MCI states the call prices will remain. I cant be sure. I just faxed them my info (call back this tuesday)...This is just aggravation as if our lives dont have enough. Now I have to tell my husband whats going on and he gets his letters most of the times after 2 weeks. Hell will MCI beat the lazy ass prison mail room?

I just wanted to say thank you all for saving me from making a huge mistake. I was looking for the MCI site to get more info on the rates, and thank GOD I ran across this first. I will no longer be wanting to sign up with MCI.

Question: Has anyone found an alternative yet? If anyone does please contact me at al_peanut@yahoo.com.

I just recently learned that my son cannot call me because our local phone company does not have a contract with MCI. They want me to contact them and set up an account. Used to, he could call me once a month and it only cost about $20.00 for a 15 minute call. What is it going to cost me now? Is there anything that we can do to correct this situation? I definitely cannot afford much more than $20.00 a month. I am sure that many other families are suffering the same. I think it is ridiculous that this can happen and we don't know anything until it is over and done with.

i to have a son in a california state prison and i'm low-income i was with at&t got a phone bill turnd around and got a phone bill from mci and my bills was way over a $100.00 a month so i went with mci only.mci must think this is a joke its not funny but why should they care?its hard not talking to a loved one that is in lockup but if we the people stop taking calls forawhy'll maybe this madness with mci will stop .maybe people should write or e-mail the lawyer at pelican bay state prison because he has everything to do with mci.this is some off of the wall stuff and calling cards don't work for inmates and thats a shame this is really sad to me because not only i'm i low-income but thats my only child.mci you are really somethink and it aint good either.