Why Can't My Inmate Call the New Discount Phone Number?

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: instead of your inmate placing an expensive long-distance call to reach you, they dial a local number instead. The savings can be significant because jail and prison phone rates for long-distance calls are substantially higher than local rates.

But the inmate still needs a funded account on the facility's phone system to place any call at all, local or otherwise. There are typically two ways that account gets funded:

Commissary calling card. Money in the inmate's commissary account can be used to purchase phone time. The inmate would need to do this before the new number will work for them.

Direct bill account. A family member sets up an account directly with the facility's phone provider and loads money onto it from outside. That funded account is what the inmate draws from when they dial out.

One more thing worth knowing: if you previously had a long-distance account set up with the facility's phone provider, that is treated as a completely separate account from the new local number. The phone companies will not transfer balances between accounts. You will need to fund the new number independently.

Once the inmate's account has funds and the new local number is registered as an approved contact at the facility, calls should go through without issue.