How Video Call Costs Are Changing at CVSP: ViaPath vs Securus

Once CVSP transitions to Securus, video calls drop to $0.10 per minute - down from $0.16 per minute under ViaPath. If you use video visits regularly, that six-cent difference is the fastest way to gauge whether your monthly total will shrink.

E-messages get cheaper too. Securus lists them at $0.03 each versus $0.05 under ViaPath. Two cents may not sound like much, but if you send lots of quick check-ins, it adds up over a month.

The free-minutes setup is changing too. ViaPath offers 15 minutes of free video every two weeks; Securus gives 30 minutes per month. Depending on how you schedule calls - whether you burn through free minutes early or spread them out - the monthly total may feel about the same, or you might find yourself paying for extra minutes more (or less) often than before.

• ✓ If you’re a light user who mainly relies on free minutes, 30 free minutes per month may cover most or all of your video time.
• ✓ If you’re a moderate user who does a few longer calls, the free minutes help, but you’ll still want to budget for paid minutes.
• ✓ If you’re a heavy user with frequent video calls, the free allotment is a nice start, but most of your total will still come from paid minutes.

Even if cheaper video time is your main goal, keep an eye on the smaller line items - accessories can shift your total. Replacement earbuds cost more under Securus ($5.66) than ViaPath ($3.49). Chargers, though, are cheaper: $3.98 under Securus versus $7.99 under ViaPath. Securus also lists over-the-ear headphones at $7.98, while ViaPath shows N/A - so some families may see a new accessory charge after the switch.

• ✓ Replacement earbuds: $3.49 (ViaPath) → $5.66 (Securus)
• ✓ Replacement charger: $7.99 (ViaPath) → $3.98 (Securus)
• ✓ Over-the-ear headphones: N/A (ViaPath) → $7.98 (Securus)

Inbound photos are cheaper after the switch as well - $0.03 per photo under Securus compared to $0.05 under ViaPath. If you send photos often, that's another small place your monthly costs could drop.

1. Estimate your monthly video minutes - add up how many minutes you realistically use in a month.
2. Subtract your free minutes - Securus lists 30 free video minutes per month.
3. Price out paid video time - multiply any remaining minutes by $0.10 per minute.
4. Add e-messages - multiply the number you send by $0.03 each.
5. Add “extras” only if you use them - include inbound photo costs ($0.03 each) and any replacement accessories you expect to buy.

Here's a quick way to see the difference. Say you use 30 minutes of video in a month: Securus's 30 free minutes could cover it entirely - $0 in paid video time. Under ViaPath's 15 minutes every two weeks, your free allotment might work out similarly over a month, but timing matters. Now say you use 90 minutes. Under Securus, 30 are free and 60 are paid: 60 × $0.10 = $6.00 for video (before messages or photos). Under ViaPath, if all 90 minutes were paid, that's 90 × $0.16 = $14.40.