Controlled environment facility calling services using voice over internet protocol infrastructure

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor, said memory including program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by said processor, cause said system to:
• establish a communication involving at least one user terminal located within a penal institution, wherein said communication is conducted over a public switched telephone network (PSTN) infrastructure or a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) infrastructure as selected by a called party to the communication;
• and
• provide a communication mastering function for said communication, wherein said communication mastering function is implemented differently with respect to:
• (i) communications made using said PSTN infrastructure without use of said VoIP infrastructure, and (ii) communications made using said VoIP infrastructure;
• and
• wherein the selection is received in response to an announcement providing information to said called party explaining an advantage or a disadvantage of selecting said first or second network infrastructures.

A method, comprising:

• providing communication control with respect to communications made between a resident of a controlled environment facility and a party outside of said controlled-environment facility, wherein said resident is operating a terminal located within said controlled-environment facility and said party is operating a terminal located outside of said controlled-environment facility, wherein said party is a called party, wherein said communication control is provided using a call processing platform, and wherein said controlled-environment facility comprises a penal institution;
• and
• allowing said party to select between one of:
• a public switched telephone network (PSTN) infrastructure or a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) infrastructure for use in providing said communications, wherein said call processing platform is configured to interact with said party in allowing said party to select between use of said PSTN infrastructure and said VoIP infrastructure, wherein said communication control comprises providing communication mastering functions that are implemented differently with respect to communications made using said PSTN infrastructure without use of said VoIP infrastructure and communications made using said VoIP infrastructure, wherein a communication mastering function of a set of call mastering functions implements a different decision criteria with respect to communications made using said PSTN infrastructure without use of said VoIP infrastructure and communications made using said VoIP infrastructure, and wherein said different decision criteria results in a communication mastering decision with respect to said communications made using said VoIP infrastructure invoking a control feature at a lower threshold than a communication mastering decision made with respect to said communications made using said PSTN infrastructure, wherein the communication mastering decision is a detection of a three-way call based on the lower threshold, and wherein the invoked control feature is termination of the said communications.