NYS DOCS FORBIDS IT! It allows a customer to have a local telephone number for otherwise expensive calls to a distant city. All calls received at the local number are forwarded automatically to the terminating location. One of the providers of such services, Outside Connection, Inc. 800 270-8810 uses another firm, Pae Tec to do this routing, as indicated below.

The inmate places a collect call to the local number. The end user answers at the remote location and accepts the charges. He only has to deal with a single carrier, Outside Connection, and receives a single bill. If the inmate makes a lot of calls, the price is significantly lower that way.

Each inmate still must provide DOCS with a list of phone numbers he wants to call. Then OC must give DOCS the name and address of the end users (updated daily) so DOCS can investigate them before calls are connected.

Outside Connection, has filed a civil lawsuit and complained to the FCC (CC docket No. 96-128, Ex Parte Filing) that they have "encountered serious resistance from NY DOCS and MCI WorldCom...Collect calls by inmates to Outside Connection's end-user customers are being blocked, and MCI is harassing OC's customers."

' Tele-Net Inc. (1-888-925-7800) and Private Lines Inc. are other companies offering like services.