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Phone Calls from California Prisons
First, Some Basics
1. Can inmates make calls as soon as they get to VSPW?
NO. Upon arrival at Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW) all inmates are placed in Receiving ("A-Yard"). While in "A-Yard" inmates will be classified and evaluated for further placement within the facility. This can take up to two months. Time spent in "A-Yard can be tough on most inmates, this is why it's very important to write to your love one while they transition thru "A-Yard". While some inmates may earn occasional phone calls out, don't expect it!
2. Are inmates allowed to make phone calls once they are assigned ("over the wall")?
Yes. Once they leave "A-Yard" and are placed in the general population, they can begin making calls. Understand that there are restriction on phone usage, such as signup times, and length of calls. Some people housed on A Yard are allowed limited phone privileges -- your inmate will know what her allowed phone use is. Please ask her when you get the chance.
3. Who do I call about problems with receiving collect phone calls?
A company called Global Tel*Link has been providing the technical safety and security services for the VSPW pay phones for several years. They recently bought out the MCI telephone billing contract with CDCR, and now own the equipment AND the right to bill the phone calls. We have talked to them about ways to reach them when problems come up. Please read the following information, then go to Inmate Collect Phone Calls Information . Dial 866-770-4896 for GTL prison phone questions. Dial 877-650-4249 for GTL prison phone billing.
4. Do I need to have a GTL account?
If your phone company automatically adds collect calls onto your regular bill from GTL, then you can get collect calls without starting your own GTL account. You should get in touch with your current phone company and ask them if they allow GTL billings on your monthly phone bill. If you have a large monthly collect phone call bill, you may be contacted by GTL to establish an account.
5. Can I get collect calls on my internet account, on Vonage, or on some other DHL provider?
NO - you may only receive collect calls on a "land line" or other phone number that bills through a phone line provider. However, there are phone services that provide a 'land line' number, then forward your call through their system for a fee. Check with our "OTHER Phone Companies" List to see one of the private phone services that might be able to help you with alternative phone options.
6. What about collect calls overseas? Can my inmate call me in a foreign country?
Your inmate CAN call you from most countries overseas. However, you will need to establish a pre-paid account with Global Tel*Link. You will need to E-mail your information to Advance Pay International @ GTL.net . This is a subsidiary of Global Tel*Link. There isn't a phone number where you can get in touch with them. You will need to e-mail them. Once you've gotten in touch with them, you will need to establish the account with the following information:
Your phone number (starting with 011-country code-area code-phone number)
Name of the prison you will receive calls from.
Name of the State where the prison is at.
Bank wire transfer information, including routing & acct. number.
Here is the e-mail address you should contact for overseas collect calling: AdvancePayInternational@GTL.net Again, please remember that there are private phone forwarders that will also help you with this, including Prison Calls Online.
7. I don't have a home phone, only a cell phone. How can I get calls?
There are phone services that can set up a 'land line' phone number for you, then forward calls from the prison through their system to your cell phone or overseas phone. One that we have had positive reports of is "Prison Calls Online", which recently became two new companies, "Prison Call Direct" and "OCS Prison Calls". Their websites are listed on our "Other Providers" page. You can see this list of providers at Other Phone Companies List
OKAY! Now, What Info Do I Need To Start Getting Calls?
THE FOLLOWING IS A MEMO THAT WAS ISSUED TO INMATES AT VSPW IN 2008. It will answer some of your questions about Global Tel*Link. It also provides some phone numbers where you can call for help. I have included some notes at the bottom of this page about my own experiences with this company.
1. Can inmates make calls as soon as they get to VSPW?
NO. Upon arrival at Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW) all inmates are placed in Receiving ("A-Yard"). While in "A-Yard" inmates will be classified and evaluated for further placement within the facility. This can take up to two months. Time spent in "A-Yard can be tough on most inmates, this is why it's very important to write to your love one while they transition thru "A-Yard". While some inmates may earn occasional phone calls out, don't expect it!
2. Are inmates allowed to make phone calls once they are assigned ("over the wall")?
Yes. Once they leave "A-Yard" and are placed in the general population, they can begin making calls. Understand that there are restriction on phone usage, such as signup times, and length of calls. Some people housed on A Yard are allowed limited phone privileges -- your inmate will know what her allowed phone use is. Please ask her when you get the chance.
3. Who do I call about problems with receiving collect phone calls?
A company called Global Tel*Link has been providing the technical safety and security services for the VSPW pay phones for several years. They recently bought out the MCI telephone billing contract with CDCR, and now own the equipment AND the right to bill the phone calls. We have talked to them about ways to reach them when problems come up. Please read the following information, then go to Inmate Collect Phone Calls Information . Dial 866-770-4896 for GTL prison phone questions. Dial 877-650-4249 for GTL prison phone billing.
4. Do I need to have a GTL account?
If your phone company automatically adds collect calls onto your regular bill from GTL, then you can get collect calls without starting your own GTL account. You should get in touch with your current phone company and ask them if they allow GTL billings on your monthly phone bill. If you have a large monthly collect phone call bill, you may be contacted by GTL to establish an account.
5. Can I get collect calls on my internet account, on Vonage, or on some other DHL provider?
NO - you may only receive collect calls on a "land line" or other phone number that bills through a phone line provider. However, there are phone services that provide a 'land line' number, then forward your call through their system for a fee. Check with our "OTHER Phone Companies" List to see one of the private phone services that might be able to help you with alternative phone options.
6. What about collect calls overseas? Can my inmate call me in a foreign country?
Your inmate CAN call you from most countries overseas. However, you will need to establish a pre-paid account with Global Tel*Link. You will need to E-mail your information to Advance Pay International @ GTL.net . This is a subsidiary of Global Tel*Link. There isn't a phone number where you can get in touch with them. You will need to e-mail them. Once you've gotten in touch with them, you will need to establish the account with the following information:
Your phone number (starting with 011-country code-area code-phone number)
Name of the prison you will receive calls from.
Name of the State where the prison is at.
Bank wire transfer information, including routing & acct. number.
Here is the e-mail address you should contact for overseas collect calling: AdvancePayInternational@GTL.net Again, please remember that there are private phone forwarders that will also help you with this, including Prison Calls Online.
7. I don't have a home phone, only a cell phone. How can I get calls?
There are phone services that can set up a 'land line' phone number for you, then forward calls from the prison through their system to your cell phone or overseas phone. One that we have had positive reports of is "Prison Calls Online", which recently became two new companies, "Prison Call Direct" and "OCS Prison Calls". Their websites are listed on our "Other Providers" page. You can see this list of providers at Other Phone Companies List
OKAY! Now, What Info Do I Need To Start Getting Calls?
THE FOLLOWING IS A MEMO THAT WAS ISSUED TO INMATES AT VSPW IN 2008. It will answer some of your questions about Global Tel*Link. It also provides some phone numbers where you can call for help. I have included some notes at the bottom of this page about my own experiences with this company.
NOTICE from Global Tel*Link
(Notice to Inmates & to be shared with family members)
If your family and friends cannot receive collect calls
when you call them using an inmate telephone
have them call Global Tel*Link at 1-866-770-4896.
Some telephone numbers are blocked for one or more reasons.
Things like having call waiting, or owing on a past bill can cause your phone to block collect calls from prison.
Inmate Family and Friends DO NOT need to switch to Global Tel*Link as their local telephone service provider to receive inmate collect calls.
Family and Friends may contact the Global Tel*Link toll-free number for all questions related to inmate telephone services.
1-866-770-4896
(Notice to Inmates & to be shared with family members)
If your family and friends cannot receive collect calls
when you call them using an inmate telephone
have them call Global Tel*Link at 1-866-770-4896.
Some telephone numbers are blocked for one or more reasons.
Things like having call waiting, or owing on a past bill can cause your phone to block collect calls from prison.
Inmate Family and Friends DO NOT need to switch to Global Tel*Link as their local telephone service provider to receive inmate collect calls.
Family and Friends may contact the Global Tel*Link toll-free number for all questions related to inmate telephone services.
1-866-770-4896
And FINALLY!!! Here are --
My Notes About Getting Through To A Live Person At GTL
My Notes from 2008: Global Tel*Link lists their Customer Contact number as 1-866-770-4896. This is a toll-free call. I tried it on a Wednesday about noon. It absolutely required a touch-tone phone. Without being able to make touch-tone selections, my call was disconnected. With touch-tone selection, I was able to choose between English and Spanish, and then was required to put in my 10-digit phone number. After the automated system checked my phone number and told me there were no problems on my line, I was invited to speak with an operator, and placed on hold. I held for slightly over 30 minutes, and then my call was dropped before I got to speak to anyone.
I tried again on a Friday afternoon, and was put through to a call center employee after approximately 10 minutes. There was a severe echo on the line. The employee assured me that this was a temporary technical problem and that they were working on it. He indicated that this temporary technical problem was why I had to wait 30 minutes and was also dropped on Wednesday.
I was also told that there is a customer service number, 1-800-231-0193, which can also be used to reach Global Tel*Link. It is actually the number that I came in on, as that is where the -4896 number is routed. So if you call either 1-866-770-4896 OR 1-800-231-0193, you end up in the same call center.
If you have a computer and internet access, you may go to: http://www.gtl.us/
My Notes from 2009: We've been getting complaints that it is hard to talk to a "live person" at GTL. I tried calling them on a Friday morning last week. At the 1-866-770-4896 number I got a recording that asked for my phone number, which is a problem for me, since I don't want or use service! However, it does allow you to press ")" to reach a billing operator for problems. Once I was transferred to the Billing Department, the recording asked me to leave a phone number. It stated that I would be called back within 2 hours.
I was called back almost exactly within 2 hours, and they were very helpful.
If you haven't yet established a GTL account, you might want to just call Billing to leave a message and get a call back. For BILLING INQUIRIES you should call 877-650-4249. They also have a 2 hour callback system in place. You may also fax the BILLING INQUIRY Department at 251-473-4588. They are also very helpful and can answer most of your questions about setup and can help you solve problems.
They do have regular working hours, so you will want to call them at these times:
My Notes from 2008: Global Tel*Link lists their Customer Contact number as 1-866-770-4896. This is a toll-free call. I tried it on a Wednesday about noon. It absolutely required a touch-tone phone. Without being able to make touch-tone selections, my call was disconnected. With touch-tone selection, I was able to choose between English and Spanish, and then was required to put in my 10-digit phone number. After the automated system checked my phone number and told me there were no problems on my line, I was invited to speak with an operator, and placed on hold. I held for slightly over 30 minutes, and then my call was dropped before I got to speak to anyone.
I tried again on a Friday afternoon, and was put through to a call center employee after approximately 10 minutes. There was a severe echo on the line. The employee assured me that this was a temporary technical problem and that they were working on it. He indicated that this temporary technical problem was why I had to wait 30 minutes and was also dropped on Wednesday.
I was also told that there is a customer service number, 1-800-231-0193, which can also be used to reach Global Tel*Link. It is actually the number that I came in on, as that is where the -4896 number is routed. So if you call either 1-866-770-4896 OR 1-800-231-0193, you end up in the same call center.
If you have a computer and internet access, you may go to: http://www.gtl.us/
My Notes from 2009: We've been getting complaints that it is hard to talk to a "live person" at GTL. I tried calling them on a Friday morning last week. At the 1-866-770-4896 number I got a recording that asked for my phone number, which is a problem for me, since I don't want or use service! However, it does allow you to press ")" to reach a billing operator for problems. Once I was transferred to the Billing Department, the recording asked me to leave a phone number. It stated that I would be called back within 2 hours.
I was called back almost exactly within 2 hours, and they were very helpful.
If you haven't yet established a GTL account, you might want to just call Billing to leave a message and get a call back. For BILLING INQUIRIES you should call 877-650-4249. They also have a 2 hour callback system in place. You may also fax the BILLING INQUIRY Department at 251-473-4588. They are also very helpful and can answer most of your questions about setup and can help you solve problems.
They do have regular working hours, so you will want to call them at these times:
