Hey - I'm new to this site and I'm wondering in T-Netix has a website where I can find information about setting up a prepaid account with a wireless phone.

I moved your post in here to its own thread....

Correctional Billing actually bought T-Netix a while back, tho some functions are still operating under T-Netix stuff I believe they are phasing most of that out now to CBS' stuff.

CBS has a website but I don't think you can set anything up via the website:

http://www.correctionalbillingservices.com/

You would probably need to call them, however, unless things have changed, wireless wasn't allowed in Alabama last I knew. You could call them and ask, or you could try to set up an account with them and not tell them it's a wireless phone and see what happens... dunno really on that.

Our advertiser/sponsor Prison Calls Online (which is a separate service that you would use in addition to paying CBS' charges) is able to route calls to wireless phones from most facilitiies. Their number is 1-888-925-1400, and the website is here:

http://www.prisoncallsonline.com/

Thanks, Lysbeth - very helpful! I'll check with the folks and if it doesn't work that way then I'll be checking with Prison Calls Online.

You're welcome! By the way, I think the safest thing to do would probably be call CBS first and don't really tell them anything and just ask if they are able to route calls to wireless and if they say no, just say ok and hang up. Then call PCO and see if they can get you fixed up.

If you have a landline too and your loved one has the number on their phone list, they SHOULD be able to go ahead and call you and CBS will automatically set up an account. If your wireless number is on their phone list the automatic setup might happen too - but I don't know.

Now, what PCO will do is set up a local number to the prison that will be forwarded to your cell phone - so there will be a wait to get the new number on the inmate's phone list too - but if that's the only way you can get calls to your wireless, that may be just one of those things you have to wait for. (Plus it may save you some money depending on how your wireless account is set up, because it's local collect call instead of a long distance).

And don't say anything to CBS or the prison about PCO - it's NOT illegal to have your calls forwarded to another number but they're not crazy about it.

I do know that CBS and the old T-Netix structure both have a prepaid type setup - just don't know if that applies to wireless lines or not.

Trust me....don't tell them you want calls on your cell phone. I made that mistake and have had to deal with problems ever since. I think if I hadn't have told them it was my cell phone...it would have been ok.

*rule #1...if they don't ask....DON"T TELL...
*rule #2...if they do ask...LIE

I got so fed up with the whole alabama state phone system, kenny and i didn't even talk on phone the last 9-10 months he was locked up....

I just entered a lengthy post venting about this thing when I got booted out by my ISP. I don't have the heart to do it again.

This is what I have found out about the cell phone and prepaid account thing:

(1) T-Netix is the only one who can establish an account to use with a cell phone - 1-888-882-2325. While Correctional Billing set up an account for me, they should not have. I thought all was cool until i tried to add funds - then after way too much time on the phone CBS finally told me to call TPS.
(2) You can establish a prepaid account for use with the cell phone but only thru T-Netix - and good luck getting a peep on the phone!

Wow. Well, glad you got it sorted out even tho it was a bit of a headache!

Yeah, it's kinda funny (in a not funny way)... CBS bought T-Netix out like two years or more ago, but they're operating some things as one company and some as the other, and neither one's people seem to understand a thing about the other company - even tho technically they have been one company for years now! Very weird stuff going on there.

I had to deal with CBS when my guy was one of the AL men temporarily transferred to the private prison in MS. Since he came back to AL, my phone account's technically on the T-Netix side of things. Even tho the way they are operating in AL since CBS bought T-Netix is all screwy, there would be a couple of minor (very minor) advantages for me if they switched all of Alabama over fully 100% to CBS' system, the advantages aren't big enough to be worth it and the disadvantages (CBS' customer service people are horrid and they have some insane policies) would be awful. So for my money, I'd just as soon things stay they way they are 'cos tho T-Netix has always had its flaws, they're a heck of a lot easier to deal with than CBS.

One thing that WOULD be nice if is if they would consolidate their "credit limit" (or as CBS ridiculously terms it, "payment verification point"). T-Netix went to a strict $75/$100 limit for everyone a while back, while my limit with CBS (still on record, I've checked) is HUGE. So that's kind of stupid, I mean we're talking several hundred dollars' worth of difference there. If my limits are several hundred dollars with CBS, then it should be with T-Netix too, in my opinion (but they didn't ask me...). ;)

On another note, I'm not sure that there's not another change in the wind coming (like maybe CBS doesn't want to own T-Netix anymore). Not trying to start any rumors - and I honestly know NOTHING - but I did notice that my paper bill went from coming from T-Netix, to CBS, and then back to T-Netix again in a three or four month period. Guess we'll see!

Anyway - thanks very much for posting the results of what you found out, jailbelle. That will definitely be very helpful in the future for others trying to figure out the crazy phone system down there!!

Hi Lysbeth and all - I have great sympathy for all who deal with this Alabama phone system! It took me three days to figure out how to get the account funded. I'm adding this blurp just so others might find it a little easier.

BTW, my guy submits his new phone list today. I may be able to talk to him by tomorrow. I can't eat, think, drive............ I'm so ready to hear his voice.

To setup an account to use a cell phone with T-Netix – you’ve got to call
1-888-882-2325.
TT-Netix is the only company that can set up cell phone accounts in Alabama. And despite their merger with Community Billing Services – the two do not operate as one.
Once the account is setup and you have an account number you can make electronic payments by debit or credit card into without too much hassle by calling
1-866-978-0560.

Oh... good luck on the phone call! Now... I know you have probably read this here or been warned before... most of the facilities usually take a week or two to get the phone list going once they've turned the list in. But I hope maybe you'll be an exception!! Good luck and keep us posted :)

Oh... good luck on the phone call! Now... I know you have probably read this here or been warned before... most of the facilities usually take a week or two to get the phone list going once they've turned the list in. But I hope maybe you'll be an exception!! Good luck and keep us posted :)

Hah, Lysbeth, you were sure right! It's been a long two weeks and some days and the phone list is still not approved. That's the last I heard from Chris in a letter from Wednesday of last week. By now, I'm just - "What-e-ver". Maybe this week though. :rolleyes:

Yikes... most of them are pretty good about getting it approved and in the system within a week or two, sorry to hear you're still waiting! Hope it's soon, sigh...

Just updating with a WOW - phone finally approved about two weeks ago. It works great - no problems. I am loving hearing his voice. So much that we are talking every night. Going broke but what a way to go! :thumbsup:

When I saw in the list of threads that you had posted I thought, "Oh, SURELY she has gotten a call by now!!" Glad you finally did! :thumbsup:

Happy talking! :) (You might wanna cut back to two or three times a week tho - believe me, I know both how hard that is AND how the phone bill is!) ;)