correctional collect calls

Posts: 52 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 52

Here is something that worked for me:

Prison Calls Online

Basically they get you a phone number that the inmate/loved one puts on their list. This number is automatically forwarded to your home phone.

The number they provide receives the collect call (and tolls) and forwards this on to you.

It is pricey - be warned! But it is better than no calls at all!
They state they can save you money etc, and in some cases this may be true, but it is rare. Fill out their application and they will be aqble to tell you what to expect.

Posts: 10 · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks sdstuckey Smile

I'll check it out, may be a solution for now even though it is pricey @ $5.00 a call since I am local to the facility.

~regards

Posts: 10 · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 6:31 pm Post subject:

Hmmm...here's some interesting quotes from a message board related to correctional phones and Vonage. Seems like conflicting info from what I've experienced. May be helpful to other folks in my predicament that use Vonage.

***quote***

MCI will not set up prison calls to a Voip phone because Vonage will block the calls. But you can find the phone company that is local to the jail and request to have a remote call forwarding number set up through that company. They will forward the calls to your Voip for you and best of all the calls will be cheaper = }

***quote***

We have Vonage and i can accept his calls. I have prepaid through the prison phone company and it works great for us. I'm not sure why others are having trouble with Vonage. If your guy calls your Vonage before you have set up a prepaid account through the prison telephone company it will block it right away. So I prepaid and then he called the Vonage number and it's saved us a whole bunch of money.

***quote***

Remember, Remote Call Forwarding (RCF) is the same as Call-forwarding with most all facilities, so if you choose this route, make sure it is not against the policy of the facility, and if it is, know what you are risking.

***

Odd that someone is saying prepaid worked with Vonage when Vonage told me directly that they would not unblock for prepaid collect calls at this time. Remote call forwarding is not an option in my case since it is against the facility policy and if we were caught my wife would lose her phone privileges as well as any chance of an early release. Not worth the risk.

Not to get off topic but a good link for prison phone issues including some regarding Voip http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=70

Posts: 52 · Full Forum Member Joined: Jun 21, 2004 Posts: 52

claz:

What may seem like conflicting statements may or may not be... you have to realize that the Vonage posting community involves 50 states (thats 50 different DOC systems), Federal DOC, and county jails/prisons (over 3000) so the variations are myriad. What one posts may be totally different from the next.

I have dealt with prison calls in many states and had very different outcomes (with and without VOIP).

Florida DOC was the worst and most expensive, and probably the most technically intricate system. In fact with PCO (my previous post) the prison phone sytem could sometimes notice the forwarding and disconnect the call with a message "no 3 party calls allowed"

I had a "fly-by-night" Voip provider that "did not take collect calls" but mysteriously allowed calls from a TX prison. I never recv'd a bill.

Some prison systems allow "prepaying" by the family or inmate and the inmate can call and the toll is deducted from the prepaid acct. The called party has the option to accept/reject the call (not tolls).
Technically the calls are not "collect" in this type of system.

RCF/Call forwarding is technically "against the rules" in all systems that attempt "control" the destination number. By definition the called/recipient number is not the dialed number.

Posts: 10 · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject:

Point taken...yea, I understand that we are talking many different facilities, carriers, and rules.

sdstuckey wrote:

claz:

Florida DOC was the worst and most expensive, and probably the most technically intricate system. In fact with PCO (my previous post) the prison phone sytem could sometimes notice the forwarding and disconnect the call with a message "no 3 party calls allowed"

RCF/Call forwarding is technically "against the rules" in all systems that attempt "control" the destination number. By definition the called/recipient number is not the dialed number.

Here in Connecticut, MCI is the only carrier for all correctional calls. The phone rules clearly state that 3 party calls are not allowed, which I would understand to be the inmate calling a number on their approved call list and then having that party initiate a call to a third party and basically click over and start a conference call. MCI's equipment can detect that in some cases. I don't see how with PCO that would be the same because the call is being forwarded but not really a 3 party call. I have not seen anything stating that forwarded calls are against the rules, so PCO still may be a solution.

I realize that my situation may not be of concern to most folk, but considering that the total number of people incarcerated in the United States according to the DOJ was 2,267,787 going into 2005, it would seem that the Voip providers would take notice on this issue of lack of acceptance of prepaid collect calls. I'm only one customer, but I may have to switch back to SBC because of this.