How to Set Up a Prepaid Phone Account (AdvancePay) for Prison Calls

The telephone vendor for Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) prisoner phone calls is Global Tel*Link Corporation (GTL). This matters because your prepaid phone account, funding options, and customer support all run through GTL's system.

MDOC phone calls run on a Personal Allowed Numbers (PAN) list. Each prisoner can designate up to 20 personal phone numbers on their PAN list. The list resets quarterly on 1/1, 4/1, 7/1, and 10/1, so call access can change around those dates if numbers get updated.

AdvancePay is GTL's prepaid collect option. You set up an account tied to your personal phone number(s), and when a prisoner calls one of those numbers, the call charges are deducted from your AdvancePay balance. It's a straightforward way to control costs and keep collect charges off your regular phone bill.

1. Set up your account online: Create an AdvancePay account through GTL’s ConnectNetwork site.
2. Set up your account by phone: Call 855-466-2832 to create your AdvancePay account.

Payment Methods and Mailing

• ✓ Mail your payment to: AdvancePay Service Department, P.O. Box 911722, Denver, CO 80291-1722
• ✓ Include your name
• ✓ Include the name of the correctional facility where the prisoner is incarcerated
• ✓ Include your phone number

As of October 1, 2023, ViaPath (GTL) prisoner telephone rates are $0.0735 per minute. That figure doesn't include taxes and fees, so your actual cost will be higher. When estimating how much to load onto AdvancePay, multiply your expected minutes by $0.0735, then add some cushion for the extra charges.

GTL has lobby kiosks at several MDOC facilities where you can fund a prepaid phone account in person. A few examples: Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility (IBC), Carson City Correctional Facility (DRF), and Central Michigan Correctional Facility (STF).