Going in for a six month stay soon. I have many friends that I would like to keep in touch with by phone, but they live overseas.

So two questions:

1. Can you call international? If so, is the cost through the roof?
2. Can you call internet phones like Vonage or SkypeIn?

All my friends can get local numbers via the Internet for wherever I end up, but will the prison let me call such a number?

Fartoodeep, I have the same question. I hopes someone comes along soon to give us an answer. By the way, which prison will you be going to and which state is your family in?

I don't have the answer but I expect that it's done on a case by case basis and you'll just have to get the O.K. of your prison counselor. I know I've heard of BOP prisoners being able to call internationally.

Fartoodeep, I have the same question. I hopes someone comes along soon to give us an answer. By the way, which prison will you be going to and which state is your family in?

I will tell my friends to sign up for the IP phone and hopefully they let me call it.... I haven't lived in the US for 7 years. My only family is in CO, but on the PSR, for various reasons, my legal address is MT. I'm still waiting for the letter and to be honest, I have no idea where I am going. From what I have read here, I'm hoping for Yankton, SD.

I don't have the answer but I expect that it's done on a case by case basis and you'll just have to get the O.K. of your prison counselor. I know I've heard of BOP prisoners being able to call internationally.

I wonder what an international call costs?

And does the BOP profit on the phone calls? They could easily hook up an IP hone system and all the calls in the US and Canada could be free. Then they could charge something reasonable like 2 cents a minute.

It must be great not having any competitors.

Well, my honey who is in prison now was telling me to find out about this "internet phone thing" that will give me a US number (more like a local number) so that his calls would be cheaper, but i dont no where to look. I have read up on Vonage, but still havent seen anything that fits the description am looking for or either am not looking the right place. I guest the prison will allow him to make those kind of calls because he says the other inmates have it. How do i go about gettin info on this, Fartoodeep.

Thanks

Well, my honey who is in prison now was telling me to find out about this "internet phone thing" that will give me a US number (more like a local number) so that his calls would be cheaper, but i dont no where to look. I have read up on Vonage, but still havent seen anything that fits the description am looking for or either am not looking the right place. I guest the prison will allow him to make those kind of calls because he says the other inmates have it. How do i go about gettin info on this, Fartoodeep.

Thanks

Hi. What country are you in? The easiest way is to download skype at www.skype.com. Then under "tools" in the menu, go to SkypeIn and sign up. It doesn't cost much and it will let you choose the area code of your choice. When someone calls you, your computer rings and you can talk. You may need to get a microphone and speakers if they are not built into your computer. With skype, to receive a call, your computer will have to be on and connected to the internet. You don't need high speed internet, but the sound quality will be much better with it.

The other option is Vonage. You need high speed internet first of all. Vonage will send you a box that you connect to your router and your phone. They will only send the box to the US or the UK as far as I know. So you may have to have it sent to a friend who can send it on to you. The major advantage with Vonage is that your computer doesn't have to be on to receive a call. Your regular phone rings. Also, the voice quality is a little bit better. You can get Vonage for as little as $15 a month. Like skype, they let you choose your area code.

But with both skype and vonage, some area codes aren't available. You can check on their websites.

Good luck!

It's a little tricky picking a number because having the same area codes alone will not guarantee a local call. i think the second 3 numbers of the 9 digit number must be in the exact city as the facility to be a local call. Otherwise you will still be paying long distance charges on the calls, cheaper than international but more expensive than local. here are PTO references to phones and to Skype:
http://prisontalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=70
http://prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217067&highlight=skype

I live in the Bahamas. I have downloaded skype, but i got kind of stuck when it came to the part where you have to select one the numbers. I choose the area code already which is '229' for Georgia, but none of the numbers they have there have the second three digits which is '868'. Am afraid of just selecting any number just because it has the same area code. Like Bellisq said, having the same area codes does not mean i will benefit from it as a local number. I need help!!

It probably won't be exactly the same, because government seems to have their own numbers. What town is the facility in? Have you PM'd the PTO'ers who are using SKype? They should know more about the ins and outs of international bargains, cuz i am just guessing here.

I live in the Bahamas. I have downloaded skype, but i got kind of stuck when it came to the part where you have to select one the numbers. I choose the area code already which is '229' for Georgia, but none of the numbers they have there have the second three digits which is '868'. Am afraid of just selecting any number just because it has the same area code. Like Bellisq said, having the same area codes does not mean i will benefit from it as a local number. I need help!!

Can you google the prefixes for the numbers that they do offer and see what towns they are in? If its a few miles down the road, I've got to think it will be a local call...

I have PM a few of the PTO'ers and waiting on a response. The facility is in McRae, Georgia and i dont know of any businesses or hotel in that area that might have a similar number to the numbers that are posted. I will keep looking.

i use vonage and it works well with fedral calls use the fowarding opitons and you get a local number were there housed at and have it fowareded to your cell home or anywere works great

For Federal Prison, I think the cost is the same even if it's long distance (within the US). The cost of our phone calls are the same when my man was in Brooklyn MDC, Fort Dix, and Oakdale FDC. And I live in Brooklyn, NY.

Federal inmates can call internationally. the calls are real expensive. Ilive in London, UK, and it cost my fiance $1 per minute to call me on my UK #.

Skype DOESNT work for calls from Federal institutions, as you arent able to press '5' to activate the call. However Vonage works fabulously!! :) I use Vonage now. I have tried Skype.
Im a happy bunny because mow my sweetie pays about 35c per minute as opposed to the dollar!! :D

Federal inmates can call internationally. the calls are real expensive. Ilive in London, UK, and it cost my fiance $1 per minute to call me on my UK #.

Skype DOESNT work for calls from Federal institutions, as you arent able to press '5' to activate the call. However Vonage works fabulously!! :) I use Vonage now. I have tried Skype.
Im a happy bunny because mow my sweetie pays about 35c per minute as opposed to the dollar!! :D

I just signed up with Skype. Why do you think it won't work because you can't press 5? If the receiver has to press 5 to accept the call, they just click on the dial tab and click on 5 or press 5 on the keyboard. I'm a little confused.

When my honey calls me now i dont have to press 5, after the recording is finish, the call is automically connected. So will it still work for me even thou i dont have to press 5

Anton'sgurl: GLad you got it to work, was it much hassle? How long did it take to get it set up?

You can try packet 8 also I get local calls that way. cheaper then vonage & better service. They also have international rates.

well bellisq,

i have not tried it yet, i just download it but was afraid of purchasing a number and then find out that ur still being charge as long distance.

Ravenslove,

What is packet 8?

I just signed up with Skype. Why do you think it won't work because you can't press 5? If the receiver has to press 5 to accept the call, they just click on the dial tab and click on 5 or press 5 on the keyboard. I'm a little confused.

It doesnt work, because it need to be touchtone. When you click '5' on the Skype phone or the dial tab, it isnt touchtone, so it doesnt activate it! :(

When my honey calls me now i dont have to press 5, after the recording is finish, the call is automically connected. So will it still work for me even thou i dont have to press 5

You dont have to press '5' because you are international. If you were in the US, you would have to do so. Using a virtual # makes it look like you are in the US, so therefore you would have to start pressing '5' to activate.
When my man calls me on my UK cellphone, i dont have to click it, but when he calls me on my virtual # i do.

Also, you do NOT have to wait until the recording is over to press #5 - you can press it the instant you hear the recording and you'll get a few extra seconds of talk time.