Hey erinanderson, i saw that you moved to Leavenworth area. Are your phone calls to your husband cheaper now? I wasnt sure how the calls were charged, by call, or by minute; and if long-distance matters?

Hey erinanderson, i saw that you moved to Leavenworth area. Are your phone calls to your husband cheaper now? I wasnt sure how the calls were charged, by call, or by minute; and if long-distance matters?

My husband rarely ever calls me, considering I am in the area and visit him often. When he does call he usually uses his pre-paid account which is much cheaper. If I remember correctly it's 8 cents a minute versus a collect call which is something like 15 cents a minute or something outrageous like that. Anyways I don't think long distance matters it is all about how long you talk and which system he uses, collect or direct. Hope this helps.

I don't know about local service, but the long distance service is expensive any way you count it! Can't remember the name of the carrier, but it is billed through AT&T on my bill. When my son has money in his prepaid account, the calls are $12 for 20 minutes (or were last time we used the account), or if he calls collect it is $5.89 for the first minute and $0.89 for each minute thereafter, with a 20 minute limit (these calls average $36.00). This probably isn't good news, sorry! Good luck and if you find a cheaper way, let us all know!
~ Lisa.

well, thanks for the info. i was just checking into that Prison Calls Online collect calling system and it is definitely a lot cheaper than going just straight up collect from the prison.

im not sure how it works out against the account call system. i think if you keep up with getting them money orders then that is probably just as easy and works out around the same, but if you go with collect calls from the prison, you have to set up this account.

there is a monthy fee i think of $26 , but one call from the prison is only like $9.7, so i think if you make one call a month, you have already saved because it would have cost you $36(from your info, Lisa) for a prison collect call.

im not their rep, but i feel like it right now :)

it just makes me mad, the prisons are making mad $http://re2.mm-b1.yimg.com/image/604184540 (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062857/K=dollar+signs/v=2/SID=e/TID=I055_76/l=II/R=35/SS=i/OID=614231e8ea59c220/SIG=1k2d1jjg5/EXP=1129474313/*-http%3A//images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3D%2Bdollar%2Bsigns%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fl%3D0%26imgsz%3Dall%26fr%3DFP-tab-web-t-297%26b%3D21&h=260&w=170&imgcurl=www.mediabuilder.com%2Fmb_content%2Fstll_u ncle_sam_dollar_signs.jpg&imgurl=www.mediabuilder.com%2Fmb_content%2Fstll_un cle_sam_dollar_signs.jpg&size=17.5kB&name=stll_uncle_sam_dollar_signs.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediabuilder.com%2Fstll_unc le_sam_dollar_signs_popup.html&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediabuilder.com%2Fstll_uncl e_sam_dollar_signs_popup.html&p=dollar+signs&type=jpeg&no=35&tt=859&ei=UTF-8) and they say it is because its operater assisted, meanwhile its a recording. that system paid for itself a long time ago. ok, gotta go, 2 coffees this morning probably was a bad idea after all.

I don't know about local service, but the long distance service is expensive any way you count it! Can't remember the name of the carrier, but it is billed through AT&T on my bill. When my son has money in his prepaid account, the calls are $12 for 20 minutes (or were last time we used the account), or if he calls collect it is $5.89 for the first minute and $0.89 for each minute thereafter, with a 20 minute limit (these calls average $36.00). This probably isn't good news, sorry! Good luck and if you find a cheaper way, let us all know!
~ Lisa.

It will go down to a $0.99 connect fee and $0.08 a minute 1 JAN. Following federal regulations he will have a choice of MCI, AT&T or SBC. AT&T shows to be the cheapest from what I have heard personally.

USDBMP203,

you don't know how excited i am to have you reading this forum and participating...

the price that you quoted above--is it for real? 99c to connect and 8c/min? is this for long distance, also? i'm in california and even with a special service, i pay something like $150/mo to talk to my inmate 3-4 times a week. it's terrible for the loved ones of the inmate, because we didn't even do anything wrong! and i know that when you walk in the DB, there's the motto staring you in the face: "our mission: your future." how i wish that this were the real goal of all the DB staff! on more than one occasion, i have missed visitation time because guards (yes, more than one) either 1) did not know the visitation rules, clearly posted on the wall or 2) were ordered to speak to someone who was breaking the rules and came down on my inmate instead (who was not breaking the rules, of course). grr. this is why there is a website called 'military injustice!'

do you mind if i pm you, USDBMP203? i would like to pick your brain about some things... the TU, for example. :) thanks again for being on here.

k

USDBMP203,

you don't know how excited i am to have you reading this forum and participating...

the price that you quoted above--is it for real? 99c to connect and 8c/min? is this for long distance, also? i'm in california and even with a special service, i pay something like $150/mo to talk to my inmate 3-4 times a week. it's terrible for the loved ones of the inmate, because we didn't even do anything wrong! and i know that when you walk in the DB, there's the motto staring you in the face: "our mission: your future." how i wish that this were the real goal of all the DB staff! on more than one occasion, i have missed visitation time because guards (yes, more than one) either 1) did not know the visitation rules, clearly posted on the wall or 2) were ordered to speak to someone who was breaking the rules and came down on my inmate instead (who was not breaking the rules, of course). grr. this is why there is a website called 'military injustice!'

do you mind if i pm you, USDBMP203? i would like to pick your brain about some things... the TU, for example. :) thanks again for being on here.

k

Yes that is going to be new regulation to affect all military and federal prisoners, no higher than a $1.50 connect fee and a $0.15 minute charge. If your inmate is in USDB then he will recieve a LD seletion sheet in late november to this effect where they will be able to pick a carrier.

If you have an issue with visitation being denied, I am unable to help you via the forum you will have to follow the channels. I would love to but its way out of my hands.

If its a specific person or two, I can try to speak to them directly about it but I will need a bit more information than I am sure you are willing to post publicly.

Feel free to PM me, you dont really have to ask.

well, i called the FCC and there are no federal regulations on inmate collect calls; it's entirely up to the provider with which the DB has a contract. we shall see what happens...

if anyone wants to call the DB about the phone system, the number is
913 758 3633.

i have not been able to raise anyone there yet, but when i do, i will let you know what i find out.

good idea, no sense getting our hopes up about this until we know for sure. keep us posted

According to my CO, there are laws that have been passed forcing them to offer a variety of services to inmates. My apologies for my absence, but I was withheld from posting until things cleared up on background checks.

If I may ask, background checks on whom?