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
Yes, you still need to set up and fund an account with the facility’s phone provider, even if you are using an InmateAid local number.
The local number you received from InmateAid does not replace the jail or prison phone system. It simply gives your inmate a local number to call instead of a long distance one, which lowers the cost per call.
Here is how it works:
You get a local number from InmateAid
You set up a separate account with the facility’s phone carrier using that number
You...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Inmate debit calling works like any prepaid phone program. You fund an account through the facility's contracted phone carrier and your inmate uses that balance to make outgoing calls to approved numbers. As long as the account has funds and the number they are calling is on their approved list the calls go through.
Number approval timeline
How long it takes for a new number to be approved varies significantly by facility and phone carrier. In the best case approval is immediate...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
With discount phone services like InmateAid, your inmate will not automatically be notified when you set up or fund the service. That is because the system works by giving you a new local phone number, not by directly adding money to his existing account.
Here is how it works:
You are assigned a new local number that is tied to your account
You must send that number to your inmate so he knows what to dial
He will call that number instead of your regular number to get the...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
If your inmate is trying to dial the new number and cannot get through, the line itself is most likely working fine. The issue is almost always on the facility's calling system end, and it comes down to how the inmate's phone account is funded.
Here is how the service actually works. InmateAid does not replace the jail's phone system. What we do is provide you with a local phone number that routes to your regular phone. The purpose is simple:...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
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...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, inmates can effectively make long distance calls at much lower rates by using a service like InmateAid’s discount telephone system.
At Creek County Jail, calls to you in Arizona would normally be billed as long distance. Those rates can range anywhere from about $0.23 to over $1.00 per minute depending on the provider, which adds up quickly.
Here is how the discount service helps:
You are assigned a local phone number that matches the area near the jail
Your boyfriend calls that number as a local call...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Por ahora, el servicio de llamadas con descuento de InmateAid no está disponible para números en México. Esto significa que tu esposo no podrá usar este sistema para llamarte directamente a un número en Ciudad Obregón u otra parte de México.
Así es como funciona el servicio cuando está disponible:
Tú creas una cuenta en InmateAid
Se te asigna un número local en Estados Unidos
Tu esposo marca ese número como si fuera una llamada local
La llamada se conecta contigo a menor costo
Pero en tu...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
InmateAid’s discount telephone service is designed to work with both jails and prisons, as long as the facility allows outgoing inmate calls through a compatible phone system.
At places like Mercer County Jail, eligibility depends on the specific phone provider they use and whether the system can support the discounted routing.
If your account shows pending, that usually means:
Your setup is still being processed
A number is being assigned to you
The system is checking compatibility with the facility
You will be notified once everything is ready to...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The InmateAid discount telephone service will be online May 1st with a special offer to our members. We will be inviting you to sign up for a rate that is the lowest in the industry for prison-inmate calling. If we can get you signed up any earlier we will be sure to let you know!
Subject: Inmate phone calls
There is no single, universal brand of prepaid calling card that works across all jails and prisons. Most facilities do not use traditional calling cards at all. Instead, they rely on their own contracted phone providers, and inmates must use the system set up by that specific facility.
If your husband says the card is blocked, it is likely because:
The facility does not accept third-party calling cards
The phone system only works with its approved provider
Funds need to be added to his...
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