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
Both approaches work, and understanding the difference helps you choose the one that makes the most financial sense for your situation.
The first option is setting up an AdvancePay account through Securus directly. You fund that account and your boyfriend's calls to your number draw from it. The catch is that Securus charges a transaction fee every time you deposit money, which can be significant depending on the deposit amount and method. Those fees add up over time and represent money...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
100% legitimate. The website has been in business helping hundreds of thousands of people trying to save money dealing with someone in prison or jail. InmateAid has been the subject of many news stories lauding the good work they do, the money they save, all created by a former inmate whose family had to deal with what you are dealing with now.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
It is very easy. Go to inmateaid.com/shop/bop-calls to sign up.
Easy process-
*Enter facility name - FCI Beaumont
*Enter your phone number
*Enter your name and email address
*Pay $8.95 with cc or debit card via encrypted third-party tokenization platform
*Local number is delivered instantly on the screen, texted and emailed, too.
*Each month on the same date, $8.95 will be deducted until you click cancel button on the account
Just to be clear, there are NO programs where the calls are unlimited. The people that claim that are...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Yes, and this matters more than most people realize when it comes to what you are paying per call.
Louisiana's area codes do not align neatly with how prison phone carriers define local versus long-distance. The 318 area code covers northern Louisiana, including areas like Shreveport, Monroe, and Alexandria. The 225 area code covers the Baton Rouge area and surrounding parishes in south-central Louisiana. From a prison phone carrier's perspective, those are treated as long distance from each other, which means...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
You can try, and it is worth the call. But going in with the right approach makes all the difference in whether you get a helpful response or a polite no.
Counselors and unit staff at county detention facilities are not technically required to pass along personal messages or phone number updates from outside parties. That is not their official role. However, many staff members are genuinely willing to help when someone calls with a reasonable, humble request and treats them...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
As many times as they have money for the calls. Email us the facility where your inmate is located, in most cases, we can get you a phone number that will dramatically reduce the price of every call.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
No, and any company claiming to offer unlimited calls to a correctional facility is taking your money without delivering what they are promising. This is one of the most common scams targeting families of inmates, and it is worth understanding why it cannot exist.
Bradford County Correctional in Troy, Pennsylvania, uses GlobalTel*Link as its exclusive phone carrier. GTL holds the contract at that facility, which means every single call your inmate makes runs through GTL and GTL only. No outside company...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
Lassen County Jail has a contract with Securus. You have to use them for all calls, we are not replacing them. BUT, they have two sets of prices and depending on your current number, the calls will be $18.78 per 15-minutes OR $3.15 per 15-minute call. If you are paying the crazy-high rate, we can certainly help you. Once you get the number from us, enter it when you put money on your Securus account (or if your inmate can but phone...
Read moreSubject: Inmate phone calls
If you are trying to see your inmate's call history or how their money is spent on the inside, you are not entitled to it. The inmate's business is private and unless they decide to share it with you, it will remain that way.
Subject: Inmate phone calls
No, inmates cannot receive calls, whatsoever. If it is a true emergency, please call the facility and ask to speak with a counselor or case manager, they will somehow get the message to your inmate.
