Inmate Phone Calls — Ask the Inmate
Prison phone calls are one of the most important lifelines between an incarcerated person and their family, and one of the most expensive. The prison phone industry has historically operated as a near-monopoly charging rates that few other consumer services would get away with. This section covers how the prison phone system works, why rates are so high and what has changed in recent years, how debit calling accounts function, how to get a number approved on an inmate's call list, how InmateAid's local number service reduces call costs by up to 70 percent, and what international callers need to know about reaching a US facility from another country. The questions answered here come from families who are paying too much for calls and from inmates trying to navigate phone access from inside. Understanding how the system works is the first step toward getting the most contact for the least cost. See also our sections on Money Transfer and Commissary.
Related InmateAid Services
It will take a few days. You wil need to contact the counselor at the facility and explain what you would like them to do. You might have to fax a written and signed letter requesting the block be removed.
Read moreYou should switch over ASAP. because the InmateAid number will stretch your GTL account balance getting you an extra three calls per $20. It's the only way to save. Look for InmateAId's new federal inmate program coming this Spring where the federal local numbers are a flat rate of only $8.95/month.
Read moreYou may use your cell phone in most cases. The phone service is run by ONE company at any one facility. The companies that provide service win a competitive bid contract for 3-4 years. THEY are the ones that set the pricing and the rules in conjunction with the jail or prison. It used to be that you needed a land line to receive calls from the inmate. Now, with everything revolving around the smartphone, the rules have changed. BUT,
Read moreNot usually unless there is some facility-wide punishment that would limit times, however that is not the norm. You can call the facility and speak with the unit secretary and ask what the hours of phone operation are so that you know the rules, too.
Read moreInmateAid's long standing policy is, "that if your inmate gets moved, we will change the number for you - NO CHARGE - as many times as necessary, there is no limit. Therefore, you have zero risk that may result from an inmate's transfer or change of phone service. Please let us know if you would like a discount coupon to get started.
Read moreThey are normally passed a receipt of sorts to them through mail call.
Read moreInmates may call out to any number on their "approved call list". If you have a number that the jail does not accept, please contact us about getting a land line that will allow the calls to go through at the cheapest rate possible.
Read moreAs you can see on the website, the actual price you pay for an in-state call from Lapeer County Jail is $21.34 per 15-minutes. An InmateAid number will make the same call only $3.15. You keep your account with Securus but use our number, not your current Michigan number. Inmate dials our number, it rings on your phone but costing $18 less than with yours.
Read moreThe system will select the correct number for the lowest rates for the facility you select matching it to your current phone number. You will be emailed that number which will be immediately operational. One way to test it, is to dial the new number from another phone and listen for it ringing on your current phone number. The caller-ID should be the number we issued you. You can relay the new number using our mail service for free, just
Read moreLeavenworth Detention Center operated by CoreCivic, formerly CCA uses IC Solutions as their carrier. The rates are the lowest if your number is local to the facility. If you are out of state, we would provide a local Leavenworth number that you would register as your own and use until your inmate is released.
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