Understanding Phone Calls with Someone at Chippewa CF: Rates, PAN Lists, and Blocking Unwanted Calls

Phone calls for people incarcerated in Michigan prisons - including Chippewa Correctional Facility - go through GTL, now called ViaPath. Watch out for third-party companies claiming they can "lower your inmate call costs." They're not affiliated with MDOC or the phone vendor, and signing up often means extra subscriptions or surprise charges rather than actual savings.

ViaPath (GTL) charges $0.0735 per minute for calls as of October 1, 2023. That's the base rate - your bill may also include federal, state, and local taxes, plus federal universal service fees.

International calls cost more. The $0.0735 per-minute base rate still applies, but you'll also pay an additional per-minute termination fee depending on the destination country.

Your loved one at Chippewa CF can only call numbers on their Personal Allowed Numbers (PAN) list. The list holds up to 20 phone numbers, so they'll need to prioritize the contacts that matter most.

PAN lists reset every quarter - on 1/1, 4/1, 7/1, and 10/1 - giving your loved one regular opportunities to update who they can call.

1. Answer the call and listen for the prompt - the system will tell you what options you have.
2. Refuse the call - hang up, or press 1 when prompted.
3. Know what happens next - the call disconnects, and the prisoner is informed the call was not accepted.

1. Wait for the prompt during an incoming call - the automated message will offer call-handling options.
2. Choose permanent blocking - press 6 when prompted to block calls from a correctional facility.
3. Confirm with a PIN - enter a 4-digit PIN to confirm the block.
4. Save that PIN - you’ll need the same PIN later if you ever want to remove the block.

Have billing questions or running into technical issues? Contact GTL support at (855) 466-2832 or email visitorsupport@gtl.net. This is also the number to call if you need to remove a permanent block you set up earlier.