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Many families are surprised to learn that prison phone calls can be significantly more expensive than normal phone calls. The cost of calls depends on the prison phone system, the type of number being called, and the amount of phone credit available to the prisoner.
Understanding how prison call pricing works can help families manage the cost of staying in contact with someone in prison.
If you want to understand the system overall, you can read our guide explaining how prison phone calls work.
The exact cost of prison phone calls can vary depending on the prison and the telecom provider used by the prison.
However, the biggest factor affecting the price is the type of number being called.
Because many people only use mobile phones today, this can make prison calls particularly expensive for families.
Prison phone systems often charge higher rates when prisoners call mobile numbers instead of landlines.
This is due to telecom termination charges and the way prison phone networks are structured.
As a result, families who receive calls on mobile phones may notice that prison phone credit runs out quickly.
You can learn more about this in our guide explaining whether prisoners can call mobile phones.
Prisoners usually need to purchase phone credit through the prison system before they can make calls.
The cost of each call is then deducted from their available phone credit.
This means that expensive calls can reduce the amount of time prisoners are able to speak with family members.
Because calls to landline numbers are often cheaper, many families look for ways to receive prison calls through a landline instead of a mobile number.
However, many households today no longer have a home landline installed.
One solution is to use a prison call forwarding service that provides a landline number which redirects calls to your mobile phone.
You can learn more in our guide on how to reduce prison phone call costs.
A prison call forwarding service provides a UK landline number that automatically redirects calls to your mobile phone.
The prisoner calls the landline number, but you receive the call on your mobile device.
Because the prison system treats the call as a landline call, this can help reduce the cost of prison phone calls.
Phone calls remain one of the main ways prisoners stay connected with family and friends. Understanding how prison call costs work can help families stay in touch while managing expenses.
