I was wondering do I have to change over to global tel? I am happy with the way it is,my son only calls about 2 times a month and I have AT&T and pleased with them, but I am scared if I don't change the calls will not go through,Help?

I don't think you have to change your phone service provider. GTL will bill through ATT, in other words, when your son calls you it will be billed on your local phone bill. You don't have to change anything.

You don't have to change a thing. He'll be able to call you just fine. The only thing they can't do is call a cell #.
:D Carmen

I heard that you now have to pre pay for the phone calls now

I had to pre pay and I wasnt happy about it. I thought I would NEVER say this but I miss MCI....(Dont hate me)...My phone hasnt been blocked in YEARS and all of the sudden I had a block on it because AT&T billed me for a month and 7 days, well that put me over Globel Tel's limit. I prepaid when he called and it told me my phone was blocked, I paid 50 but only had a credit of 40.50. Now I have to pay through Western Union because its only 4 dollars per 50. If you call Globel Tel directly and pay through them you will be charged that outragious fee. I went through hell with them trying to get out of the fee but there is NO way around it...get ready....it will happen to you. I have less than 30 days left and I cant wait until this crap is OVER

See this thread for more information on the spending limit change and the pre-pay issues, close to the bottom of the first page of the thread: http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261514

--cessna

Its been almost a year since my son was in Varner back then the it was mci and the calls where 6.60.I have a nephew in Grimes and I was talking to a friend of his a couple of days ago.He said that when the call came thru that morning he couldnt except it and that he talked with the operator she told him they had to go to prepaid.It was on my nephews fathers phone and the charges have never gone over 200.He said his whole bill is always under 200.They are having a hard time understanding why all of a sudden they have to prepay.The operator talked as though everyone was having to go to prepay.Of course they have all had a hard time understanding the way the state works.The boy has lost class because they thought they could seek a 3 way call by a few months ago. I know of at least twice when my son called home the call was interrupted with a message that 3 calling had been detected on the line.It never disconnected us.We have never used 3 way calling at all.I told them before they even tried it not to do it but for sme reason they thought they could get by with it,they found out differant.

I agree GTL is a mess.I never had my phone blocked ,now it happens all the time.i wonder if there is a sqam going on with GTL an prison system.With mci ,the bill was on my phone bill,now you get nothing.half to take there word for how many minutes you've used.

Some of you may already know this, but I just found it this morning. GTL does have an 800 automated number you can call and get your account balance. It's pretty quick. The number is 800-483-8314.

I've started keeping an Excel spreadsheet so I can keep up with my account balance and make sure it agrees with what GTL says. One thing I can say good about MCI is at least there was a website where you could review you activity and balance information.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend!!

When my nephew started calling me from WV DOC, using Global Tel, I had to call them and set up an account with them, telling them I wanted my calls to be billed on my home phone bill. Before that, I got the recording telling me I had to set up prepay, but once I called their billing dept, all went through fine, with the calls billed to my home phone bill (Verizon).

So if you are having problems about the prepay, maybe try calling Global Tel billing to tell them to bill it to your home phone bill. Global Tel, from what I understand, works the same, regardless of the state. Hope this helps!