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.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
You cannot call the jail and speak to an inmate. The inmate must initiate the call.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, as long as you can wrap your head around the fact you are paying two companies to get the calls cheaper. We can save folks money in 70% of the situations. If you speak to your inmate more than once a week, this is probably for you.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
InmateAid does not replace the prison phone company. Our Discount Phone Service works by using software to compare inmate call prices for all of the 25 or so prison phone carriers against all possible tariff scenarios. In 80% of the cases, a change in phone number will reduce the calls by up to 90% (usually 40-50%).
Some prisons use a system where the LOCAL line is the lowest price. So if you are not local, your calls will be 3-4 times more than a...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes
Subject: Inmate phone calls
If you think you are paying too much for the calls, you should definitely look into an InmateAid Discount Line. If we cannot save you money, we refund the fee - no questions asked. Or, email us your phone number and the prison or jail where your loved one is incarcerated and we will give you an honest estimate before you buy.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, per line for the county, state and ICE facilities ($19.95), and only $5.00 for a federal line (300 minutes)
Subject: Inmate phone calls
No, inmates cannot receive incoming calls - they must call you
Subject: Inmate phone calls
You have to know who the phone carrier is at the facility. You set up an "advance pay" account. IF your calls are more than $3.00 for 15 minutes, InmateAid's Discount Phone Service might be worth checking out. If we cannot save you money, we refund the transaction.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Federal inmates are allowed 300 minutes per month (400 mins Nov & Dec) - outbound calling only. They are 15-minutes each and are paid for from their Trulincs account (which can be funded by outside people or through the job they have inside). The calls are either SIX cents per minute (local) or TWENTY-ONE cents per minute (long-distance). InmateAid can get you a local line for almost all federal facilities for only $5.00. You save $45 per month!!
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Let us know the name of the facility and your phone number - we will give you an honest estimate of the savings before you buy
