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
You should be able to use any debit or prepaid card through our portal. If there is an issue, we are able to take the order over the phone and manually charge the card. Please call us at 866-966-7100 or email at aid@imateaid.com
Read moreUnfortunately, inmates may not receive calls. Inmates must initiate the call to the user with either a prepaid account or a collect call (the most expensive). If you are thinking about the best way to go about setting something up, please send us the name of the facility where your inmate is incarcerated and your telephone numbner and we will give you an honest estimate of potential savings through our service
Read moreMost US jails do allow international calls, but whether a specific facility has that option enabled depends on the phone service provider contracted at that jail. The majority of facilities use providers like Securus, GTL, or ICSolutions, and most of those platforms support international calling. The catch is the cost. International rates through prison phone systems are steep, often significantly higher than what you would pay through a standard international carrier. One practical way around the cost problem is
Read moreYes, after they have attended orientation
Read moreSometimes yes, but it depends entirely on the facility and the phone provider they use. Years ago, getting a local number in the same area code as the prison often lowered the cost because calls were billed as local instead of long distance. That still works in some places, but the industry has changed a lot. Today, there are dozens of providers, and many no longer price calls strictly based on distance. In some systems: Local
Read moreThe phone service in all of the jails, prisons and detention centers put their phone service out to government bid. The winning company shares revenue with the institution and essentially has a monopoly. InmateAid does not replace their service, we make theirs cheaper to use with a phone number that brings the lowest possible price. If you would like an honest estimate of the possible savings, please email us your telephone number and we will let you know the potential
Read moreWe are not a replacement for the phone service at the jail, we provide you with a number that will make their service cheaper to use. You take our number and place it on their account. The cost of the calls will be reduced enough to justify our fee in about 4-5 calls. If you speak to your inmate everyday or every other day the savings you get with our number will make you happy.
Read moreyes, the line is 100% operational from when you receive it via email
Read moreThe one that gets you the right number for the right facility under the plan that their carrier offers. InmateAid's [Discount Telephone Service](https://www.inmateaid.com/shop/calls) is pretty good. There are two solid plans, no contracts, number replacements are no charge, cancel anytime. If you would like to see an honest estimate of the savings (if any), send us the state, name of facility and your telephone number to aid@INMATEAID.COM
Read moreYes you do. The reason that this works in your favor is the amount you actually spend in a given month. If your calls are costing $5-8 each, we can get a number that will bring the price to about $1.65. The difference in the two prices is why people use InmateAid, if you speak often to your inmate the savings will justify the $19.95/month fee. Here's an example: You pay the carrier $6.00 per call for every day in
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