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
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Our system is perfect in all detentions centers, jails and prisons. InmateAid helps navigate the rules and nuances that exist in an industry with varying rules and regulations. If it is the phone service, and your inmate gets moved, InmateAid is the only company that will make changes in your account (like a new number if they get moved) at no additional cost. Let us know what you wish to accomplish and we can help guide you through successfully.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
All you have to do is register the InmateAid number as a land line. Be prepared for having to jump through hoops as the prison phone carrier Securus is a little more difficult to deal with than others, but your rights are protected and there is nothing that prohibits you from using our number and receiving lower priced calls. The FCC website endorses ["Low Cost Inmate Call Routing Services"](https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-323495A1.pdf) as a viable way for families to connect with their loved...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
In most cases, you will need to do at least one of the two, and sometimes both depending on how the facility handles calls.
At Hoke Correctional Institution in North Carolina, calls are handled through a contracted phone provider. That means:
Option 1: You set up and fund the phone account (best option)
Create an account with the prison’s phone provider
Add money to your account
Your husband calls you and the cost is deducted from your balance
This allows you to pay for the calls directly...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
A month without a call after setting up a phone account is frustrating, and there are several reasons it could be happening that have nothing to do with whether he is trying to reach you.
The first thing to check is whether your number is on his approved call list. Setting up a funding account and getting a number added to the approved contact list are two separate steps. The money being there does not automatically mean your number is cleared...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Absolutely. It does not replace any phone carrier that is in place at the county jail, it makes their calls cheaper by making the inmate's outbound call a local call. There is a big price difference between local and long distance pricing dialing out of a county jail. If your number is not local, email us the name of the jail and your phone number. We will run a diagnostic on the computer to see if there is enough of...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
InmateAid's discount phone service works by providing a local phone number that reduces the per-minute cost of calls from long distance to local rates. The savings come from the difference between those two rate tiers.
At Rikers Island, which is located in New York City, calls are already being billed at local rates because the facility is in the same rate center as most New York City phone numbers. There is no long-distance rate to reduce, which means an InmateAid local...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, it is possible in some cases, but international calling from federal prison is complicated and the rules vary by facility.
Most federal facilities use a contracted phone provider, typically Securus or ICSolutions, and international calls are not automatically enabled on every account. The number you want to reach has to be on the inmate's approved call list first, and not all providers support international numbers in every country. Getting an international number approved requires submitting it through the proper channels...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The Discount Telephone Service helps whomever is paying the bill for the calls. If you are putting money on your inmate's books, then it would probably be beneficial to get more calls for the amount you've sent than less, right? Our service does not replace what the inmate has to do to make a call. They have to pay for the outbound call to the prison phone company. We just make that call cheaper. Inmost cases, the local call is...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The inmate must make the outbound call. They cannot receive calls. All of the prison facilities in the United States operate the same way. They award the contract to one phone company who is the sole provider for that detention center. All calls are tape recorded by them and they get paid for every call. You have to use them, no matter what. The choice you make is whether to pay them a little, or pay them a lot.
Our service...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
It depends on the facility, the security level and any restrictions imposed on your inmate. The federal system allows calling from 6am - 9:30pm but restrict their minutes to 300 per month. County jails usually have the phones open all day and night, some even have phones in the cell. State prisons have a wide range of options and the main determinant is the restriction on each inmate. Some can only call once a day and others have none whatsoever....
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The ASPC Yuma facility has a contract with Securus. You have to use them regardless. It is NOT possible to get another account that will replace Securus - you must keep using them. What Prison Call Solutions does is what InmateAid does better. We get a telephone number that will make the calls only $1.84 each. You will still pay Securus $1.84 for each call, but if you are saving over $5.00 per call, the InmateAid flat rate of $19.95...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Inmates can generally use the phone as often as they want. However the restrictions might be limited to how much money the inmate has in their account. The InmateAid Discount Telephone Service will stretch that dollar - write us at aid@inmateaid.com for more information
Federal prison: 300 minutes per month, 400 minutes for Nov/Dec.
State prison and county jail: no limit to the monthly minutes
Subject: Inmate phone calls
They are not unlimited. There are many plans out there, the ones publicizing unlimited are not being honest; there are many add-on charges that mysteriously appear on your charge card - after you've signed up and it it too late.
InmateAid's service is totally disclosed at the time of the purchase. We charge $19.95 for either 300 minutes or 1000 minutes depending on the plan you choose. Whatever service you decide on, you will ALWAYS have to use the service at...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
To create a Discount telephone Account with InmateAid, you will go to your My Account area of the website after logging in. Click on the link for Discount Telephone Lines and then click the "Add Local Line" button. Once you are past that page it will prompt you to select a state, facility, an inmate name and id number. Then you will add your current phone number and a contact name. Then you select the plan, either Quarterly or Monthly....
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Depending on the facility, it could be immediate or it might be several days. If your inmate has to go through Admissions & Orientation, there will be a short delay before the privileges are set up and working for your inmate.
