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
You may use our letter writing service to notify your inmate of the new number, we will give you a coupon code which will pay for it.
If they are moved to a different facility send us an email at aid.inmateaid.com with the new facility name and state, we will have the new number for you within an hour
Subject: Inmate phone calls
The member has the responsibility to get the new local number to the inmate. If you would like a coupon for the letter service, please let us know and we will pay for it so that you can notify your inmate of the change.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
No. InmateAid does not charge activation fees or add costs on top of what the prison's phone carrier already charges. The only fee InmateAid charges is the monthly cost for the local phone number itself.
Here is the distinction that matters. Every jail and prison has an exclusive contract with a phone carrier, such as GTL, Securus, or CityTeleCoin. That carrier records all calls, manages the approved contact list, and bills for every call placed. You cannot opt out of their...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, you will still need to maintain and fund an account with Securus Technologies even if you use a discount phone service.
Securus controls the phone system inside the facility, so every call must go through them. The discount service does not replace Securus, it simply reduces the cost by giving your inmate a local number to call instead of a long distance one.
Here is how it works:
You get a local number through InmateAid
You set up that number with Securus as the approved number
You...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes. InmateAid provides all of its standard services for inmates at Lee Adjustment Center in Kentucky. The facility is operated by CoreCivic, formerly known as CCA, and functions within the same framework as other private correctional institutions we work with regularly.
Services available for your friend at Lee Adjustment Center include the discount telephone service, which provides a local phone number that significantly reduces the per-minute cost of calls. Money transfers to the inmate's account are also available, along with letter...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, you can absolutely get a new number set up after a transfer, and you do not have to wait for your current month to expire.
When an inmate moves from a county jail to a prison, the area code and phone system usually change, so a new local number is needed for the discount service to keep working properly.
Here is what to do:
Provide the name of the new facility
Request an updated local number for that location
In most cases, the new number can...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
You have two main options, and each works a little differently depending on what matters most to you.
1. Putting money on his books (commissary):
He can use that money to buy phone cards inside
This can help avoid some setup or deposit fees from outside phone providers
Calls may be more straightforward and sometimes cheaper
Downside:
Once the money is on his account, he can spend it however he wants
Calls to anyone
Commissary items like food or hygiene products
2. Setting up a phone account:
You create and fund an account with...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The fastest and most reliable way to get the new number to your inmate is through a letter. Once they have the number in writing, they can submit it to their counselor or case manager for approval through the facility's phone system.
InmateAid's letter service is the most straightforward way to do this. Log into your account, write a brief letter that clearly states the new local number, and send it. Letters to most facilities arrive within a few business days.
When...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The phone service gets a local telephone number for your inmate to call you on - still using the prison telephone company to run the number through. The local line makes the calls at the lowest possible rate, because it is now local and not long distance. You will have to get the number to the inmate either by sending a letter or getting a message via a visit or one last "expensive call". Unfortunately, the prison staff will not...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Northern State Prison uses GTL as their phone carrier, which is the same provider used across New Jersey Department of Corrections facilities statewide.
InmateAid's discount phone service works by providing a local phone number that forces the prison's carrier to bill the call at local rates rather than long distance rates. That difference is where the savings come from, typically more than $10 per call at facilities where long distance rates apply.
However, the NJDOC system is structured differently. New Jersey has...
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