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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
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
NOTICE from Global Tel*Link!!
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
Things to Know About Getting Collect Calls Through GTL
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:
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
Things to Know About Getting Collect Calls Through GTL
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:
