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.
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Subject: Inmate phone calls
The calling rules depend on whether he is in a state or federal facility, and the difference is significant.
In most state prisons, inmates in "gen-pop" or general population can make calls as often as they want during the designated phone hours for their unit, as long as there is money in their account to cover the cost. There is no monthly minute cap. If the funds are there, the calls can happen daily or multiple times a day. The limiting factor...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Once an inmate is settled into general population and has no restrictions on their privileges, phone access is available on a regular daily basis. Most state prisons provide phone access during designated hours, typically in the evenings and on weekends, though the specific schedule varies by facility and housing unit. There is no formal waiting period once someone is in general population, provided their call list is already established.
The practical timeline depends on one key factor: whether the call list...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
The 300 minutes are not free. They are an allotment, meaning the Bureau of Prisons sets a monthly cap on how many minutes a federal inmate can use, but every call within that allotment still costs money that comes out of the inmate's account.
Here is how the financial side works. Federal inmates manage their funds through TRULINCS, which is the BOP's internal banking system. Money deposited by family members on the outside flows into the TRULINCS account, and from there...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, the service works across every facility listed on InmateAid, but every situation requires examination based on the carrier rates. The platform covers jails and prisons nationwide, from county detention centers to state facilities to federal institutions.
What changes from facility to facility is not whether the service works but how much it saves you. The savings are what we are seeking. Every jail and prison contracts with a single phone carrier, and that carrier sets rates based on the type...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
No, the User must notify the inmate that funds are on their account so that they know they can make calls to you.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
The number is delivered three ways simultaneously, and checking all three will resolve this quickly.
First, check your email inbox for a message from InmateAid. It should arrive within about an hour of your purchase. If you do not see it in your main inbox, check your spam or junk folder. Messages from new senders, especially first time purchases, frequently get filtered there before your email provider learns to recognize them.
Second, check for a text message on the phone number you...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
It usually takes a few days before the inmates are given phone privileges. The Orientation must take place first before the inmate may make calls, receive visits and buy commissary. If you are also in the state of Texas, we can make the calls cheaper, check it out.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Probably not. Eleven cents is a good rate, but some go as low as 4-6 cents per minute - it depends on where you're talking about. IC Solutions has a rate calculator on their site and we'd have to run a check to see if there was any way to go lower. Without knowing the facility name, we're just guessing.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, and the savings are immediate and significant.
Securus holds the contract at that facility, which means every call your inmate makes runs through Securus regardless of what number they dial. That part does not change. What InmateAid changes is which rate tier applies to your specific number within the Securus system.
At $0.52 per minute you are paying the highest rate Securus charges for that facility. With an InmateAid number, that same call through the same Securus system drops to $0.21...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Each facility has one phone carrier only. The company that they use determines the pricing. That is why the price is so high. InmateAid uses software to determine the best price based on YOUR phone number and the carrier. We can save big money on about 70% of the instances. We encourage you to email or call to get an honest estimate before you buy. If you buy and we cannot save you money, we will refund the transaction, no...
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