The cost of connecting these calls to any location in the US is ~1 cent a minute! The problem is who monitors the calls to ensure that nothing illicit goes down. Do we make prison staff monitor the calls, or do we outsource it to some fat-cat company who gouges the called parties for dollars per minute? Prisoners are a captive product. This is a rent-seeking industry which benefits only the owners of the businesses providing this service. It is high time this gravy train is ended.
It would be nice if Google entered this market. Providing free phone calls, free money transfers and even free tablets would be such a boon to prisoners and their families.