How to Register Your Phone Number to Receive Calls from Someone at Alfred D. Hughes Unit

You can't receive calls from an inmate at the Alfred D. Hughes Unit until your phone number is registered through TDCJ's Friends & Family enrollment. Without registration, the system blocks the call entirely.

Before you start, grab the inmate's TDCJ ID number. You'll need it to complete registration, and not having it handy is the number one thing that slows people down.

Head to the Texas Inmate Telephone Friends & Family online enrollment and register the phone number you want to use. You'll enter the inmate's TDCJ ID number during signup - double-check it matches exactly so your number links to the right person.

Need help? Contact Inmate Technology Services by phone. Currently, lines are answered Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Starting February 2, 2026, office calling hours shift to Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., excluding state-recognized holidays.

TDCJ verifies that the person registering matches the account holder. The name on your driver license or state ID must match the name on the phone's listing or bill. If the phone service is under someone else's name, your registration could be denied - or calls might not connect as expected.

Only certain phone types work for inmate calls: home landlines, post-paid cell phones, and pre-paid cell phones. Pick a number that fits one of these categories when you register.

Expect these calls to be treated like any correctional-facility call. All inmate calls are monitored and recorded, except calls to the attorney of record.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Register a home landline, post-paid cell, or pre-paid cell number (other number types aren’t eligible).
• ✓ Expect monitoring and recording on calls (except calls to the attorney of record).
• ✓ Make sure the name on your driver license/state ID matches the name shown on the phone listing or bill.
• ✓ If you need help, reach Inmate Technology Services during their weekday phone hours.