Hi,

My penpal just tried to call me tonight-there was a block from MCI? His mom emailed me about it. I use Qwest, so how could there be a block from MCI? Is that the call provider in AR prisons?

Not sure why there is a block.....but yes, MCI is the only provider for ADC units, that I am aware of.They like to make it where you use them as your long distant carrier for your home phone.Anyway,that is the spill I got from them when I has SBC as my long distant carrier, and I did change over to MCI for my long distant....but I don't use my home phone for much of anything except my baby's calls.Use my cell for it everything else,free long distance:)Good Luck with getting it fixed.Kitty

Thanks for the info. I have used Qwest for years as they are our phone provider here in my area. I don't intend to change, but will call MCI and see what the deal is. Usually, these other companies just put their charges on my Qwest bill.

You don't have to have MCI as your long distance carrier, at least I don't. All of my family only use MCI for my brother's calls only. Call MCI and tell them you want to set up an account with them for an incarcerated inmate in Arkansas. You can set this up by faxing them a copy of your regular phone bill that has your mailing address and a credit card or money order. Credit card you get 6 calls, money order you get 4. It costs $50 to set up the account, but you get this back through calls your loved one makes. Here in Arkansas, the calls cost $6.60 for 15 minutes. I hope this helps...someone else may have something different, but this is what we had to do. My brother has been in for almost a year. Good Luck, MCI associates were hard to deal with when I was trying to set up an account.

I didn't mean you had to have MCI, they will try to talk you into using them by saying you will get better service if you do...less blocks.I changed because as I said I use my cell phone for all my calls except his,and I get free long distance on it,so it really did not matter to me.When I first started I had to send in $200 to get started,and my first months calls were deducted from that.And the rest carried over till the next month.Now I get up to 30 calls if I want to use them,but it is very expensive when we have used them all:( I am sure they have several different programs you can use.I think mine is called something like, direct bill.Anyway,.......:)kitty
P.S. Tuffmom said it in a nutshell......MCI is VERY HARD to deal with:(

This is interesting. I started yesterday calling MCI-they said they had no block on me-they blamed it on Qwest. I called Qwest and they had no block. So I also called CBS and the representative said I could receive my calls through them because they serviced this particular prison facility. The rep told me to hold on while he put in an order for me to get calls from there. He also said it would take 24 to 72 hours so I'm waiting to see what happens. Very confusing to deal with these people. I called CBS in the end because they are the provider for a lot of states.

Good Luck!

Hi,

Well, CBS was not the provider for where he is. They put in an order for me to get calls from some other facility. Thank God I called yesterday to check on it!! So, back to MCI, who said Qwest had a block on my line. Wrong! They called Qwest with me on the line and Qwest has no such block. So, now it's supposed to be 24 hours or less before my line is clear.

So, if I don't get a call by tomorrow, I will call again and see what's going on. I swear, I don't know why it's so hard to get a simple phone call, other than the fact it's from a prison. Thanks for all the info. I did get an unavailable call today, but when I answered, it disconnected.

From here in Arkansas it usually shows up "Unknown caller", so it could possible of been him when it was diconnected.I know it is difficult to deal with MCI and other companies but hopefully soon you can recieve calls from him.Good luck and hang in there...Kitty

Well, a good outcome-I got my call finally last night. So, knock on wood, things will go smoothly now. lol Thanks!

Congrads:) Kitty

The girl I have started carpooling with told me she has a plan with MCI where she has to keep her bill below $100.00 if she gets over that she gets blocked,and she only pays what she wants,like if it gets close to the $100 she can pay like $30 and get her calls as long as she stays below the
$100.So it seems they have a bunch of different plans.Weird...Kitty

I don't know how my bill will work. I wonder if it'll be included with my monthly Qwest bill? I will try to keep my MCI bill at about 40.00 a month.

We get a separate bill from MCI!!

Me to....I get my regular AT&T monthly and then I get one from MCI. Kitty

What time of the month do you get it?

I got mine last week and it is always due around the 20th.Kitty:)

I, also, got mine last week, and mine is always due on the 21st.