Can an Inmate at Butler County Prison Call International

Yes, inmates at Butler County Prison in Pennsylvania can make international calls through the facility's contracted phone carrier. However the rates for international calls through prison phone carriers are significantly higher than domestic rates and can come as a shock to families expecting a manageable phone bill.

The international rate problem

Major prison phone carriers including Securus, GTL, and ICSolutions offer international calling plans, particularly to Latin American countries. The rates for these calls can reach $1.00 per minute or more depending on the destination country and the carrier contracted by the facility. On a 15 minute call that adds up to $15.00 or more for a single conversation, which becomes unsustainable for families maintaining regular contact.

The international solution

The most effective way to dramatically reduce international call costs from a US correctional facility is to obtain a US based phone number and have calls forwarded to your international number. Here is how it works.

Your inmate calls a US phone number that is local to the facility. That call is billed at the lowest available domestic rate, which can be as low as $0.06 per minute through InmateAid's discount phone service. The call then forwards to your international number wherever you are in the world. You receive the call internationally while your inmate pays only the local domestic rate.

This approach does not replace the facility's phone system. It simply ensures your inmate is calling a local US number rather than an expensive international line, bringing the per minute cost down from $1.00 or more to as little as $0.06.

Free calls at some facilities

There are state prison facilities where calls are available at no cost to the inmate. Whether this applies to Butler County Prison or to the specific carrier they use depends on current legislative and facility policy. Contact InmateAid directly at aid@inmateaid.com for the most current information on free call availability at specific facilities.