InmateAid is NOT a replacement for the phone service at the prison or jail, we make their service cheaper with local phone numbers. Here is how the industry works: The phone service at any particular correctional center is set up through bid process. Whomever has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls - essentially has a monopoly. Therefore, you have to use them to receive any calls. The choice is whether you pay them for a long distance call (to your number) or a local call (to a number that we get you). We get you a local line matching the rate center of town where the jail is. Your inmate dials this local number and it will ring on your current phone (nothing changes on your end). You will need to register the local number with the prison phone service (just like you would your long distance number without our service) who will charge you only for the local call. If your inmate can buy calling cards from the commissary, you will not need to go online and set this up, they can dial the local number direct with the card. InmateAid takes care of the long distance portion of the call. In general, their price for an long distance call ranges from $4-15 per call. With the local number, they usually charge about $2.00 per call - flat rate. There are a couple of companies where this is the opposite, the long distance number is cheaper to use that the local number. The difference in two call prices is why people use the service, the savings from InmateAid pays for itself usually in 3-6 calls. Send us your telephone number and the facility name - we will give you an honest estimate before you sign-up.