Phone Calls to a Maryland Inmate | State Prisons and County Detention

Maryland has two separate phone systems. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) operates state correctional facilities under a statewide contract with ViaPath Technologies (GTL/ConnectNetwork). Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City each operate their own detention centers and contract phone services independently.

Maryland has introduced free call legislation three times (2023, 2024, 2025) without passing it. Calls from Maryland state facilities remain paid as of June 2026.

DPSCS uses "Incarcerated Individual" in official materials.

PART 1 - MARYLAND STATE FACILITIES (DPSCS)

Phone vendor: ViaPath Technologies (GTL) via ConnectNetwork

ConnectNetwork is DPSCS's authorized deposit and account management portal. ViaPath/GTL provides the phone system at all DPSCS state correctional facilities.

DPSCS is explicit: "DPSCS is not in charge of setting up phone accounts, ConnectNetwork creates all phone accounts." Contact ConnectNetwork directly with any account questions.

How DPSCS phone calls work

Incarcerated individuals place outgoing calls only. They cannot receive incoming calls. The individual calls from a facility phone to numbers on their approved calling list. All calls are monitored and recorded. Three-way calling, call transfers, holding calls, and call waiting are prohibited and will disconnect the call.

Each call has a time limit. The system notifies the incarcerated individual when one minute remains and automatically ends the call when the limit is reached.

Setting up a ConnectNetwork account

Online: connectnetwork.com (sign in or create account)

Phone: 877-650-4249 (ConnectNetwork customer service) or 800-483-8314 (AdvancePay)

App: ConnectNetwork mobile app

Two account types are available:

AdvancePay (prepaid collect): You create an account tied to your phone number. When the incarcerated individual calls, charges are deducted from your balance. Only your phone number can receive calls through your AdvancePay account. Works for all phone types including cell phones. You can set up auto-reload and low-balance alerts.

If the incarcerated individual is expected to be released within 24-48 hours or you cannot fund a minimum deposit, a variation of AdvancePay allows payment for a single call.

Refunds are available when the individual is released or you no longer need the account.

PIN Debit (incarcerated individual's account): The incarcerated individual owns this account and uses it to pay for calls and reach any approved number. Friends and family can deposit directly into a PIN Debit account through ConnectNetwork. The individual can also fund it from commissary/trust. Unused PIN Debit funds are refunded upon release.

Rate

Maryland state prison rates are among the lowest in the country. One source shows $0.03 per minute for all call types (local, in-state, out-of-state). This rate is well below the FCC 2025 IPCS Order ceiling of $0.12/min for large state prisons and was already below the briefly-in-effect 2024 FCC cap of $0.06/min.

Verify the exact current rate at connectnetwork.com before adding funds, or call 877-650-4249.

Note: fees may apply to some deposit methods. Review terms when making a deposit.

Tablets

DPSCS launched a tablet computer program in fiscal year 2023. The tablets are capable of making voice phone calls at the same per-minute rate as wall phones. Phone calls via tablet use the same ConnectNetwork account as traditional phone calls.

DPSCS facilities

DPSCS operates state correctional facilities including:

Maryland Correctional Training Center (MCTC) - Hagerstown

Maryland Correctional Institution for Women (MCIW) - Jessup

Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI) - Jessup

North Branch Correctional Institution (NBCI) - Cumberland

Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI) - Westover

Western Correctional Institution (WCI) - Cumberland

Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) - Hagerstown

Patuxent Institution - Jessup

Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center (BCBIC) - Baltimore

And others - full list at dpscs.maryland.gov/locations/prisons.shtml

Incarcerated individual locator: dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml

(Note: the locator covers Division of Correction facilities, Patuxent Institution, and some pretrial/detention individuals; it does not cover everyone in DPSCS custody)

DPSCS contact:

6776 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215

6852 4th Street, Sykesville, MD 21784

877-379-8636 | 410-585-3500

Free call legislation context

Maryland has introduced legislation to make state prison calls free in three consecutive sessions:

- 2023: SB 257 - established a task force to assess viability (passed; report due December 31, 2023)

- 2024: SB 948/HB 1366 - would have made calls free; did not pass

- 2025: SB 56 - would have prohibited charges and created an advisory committee; did not pass

As of June 2026, calls from Maryland state facilities remain paid. The FCC 2025 IPCS Order (effective April 6, 2026) does not affect Maryland's rates because they are already below the applicable ceiling.

PART 2 - MARYLAND COUNTY DETENTION (24 jurisdictions)

Maryland has 23 counties and Baltimore City, each operating its own detention center. Phone services are contracted independently from DPSCS. Many Maryland county detention centers also use ViaPath/ConnectNetwork; some use ICSolutions or other vendors. Rates vary, and county jails have historically charged higher rates than state prisons - testimony in the Maryland legislature cited 15-minute calls costing as much as $3.15 at some smaller county jails.

How to find the current vendor for a county detention center

Go to the county or city detention center's official website and look for pages labeled "Inmate Telephone," "Inmate Services," or "Phone Calls." The vendor name and setup instructions will be listed. If not found online, call the facility directly.

Notable examples (verify before relying on this information)

Prince George's County Department of Corrections:

13400 Dille Dr., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 | 301-952-4800

Vendor: ConnectNetwork/ViaPath; connectnetwork.com; 800-483-8314

Anne Arundel County Jennifer Road Detention Center:

131 Jennifer Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401 | 410-222-7374

Vendor: verify directly; Anne Arundel County detention information is available through the county sheriff's website.

Baltimore City:

Pretrial detention at Baltimore City Detention Center falls under DPSCS (Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center). ConnectNetwork/ViaPath applies there as well.

Small county jails (Caroline, Carroll, Dorchester, Queen Anne's, Worcester counties and others): These facilities historically have had higher rates than state prisons. The FCC 2025 IPCS Order caps apply based on facility size; small jails may be capped higher than large state prisons. Always verify the specific vendor and rate before adding funds.

What to do before the first call

For a DPSCS state facility:

1. Find the incarcerated individual's number and current facility at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml

2. Ask the individual to add your phone number to their approved calling list

3. Set up a ConnectNetwork AdvancePay account at connectnetwork.com or call 800-483-8314

4. Fund the account; note any applicable deposit fees

5. Wait for the individual to initiate the call

For a Maryland county detention center:

1. Find the individual through the county detention center's inmate search or the county's official website

2. Identify the current phone vendor from the facility's website

3. Create an account with that vendor

4. Add funds

5. Wait for the individual to call