What Families Should Know About Indiana’s New Command 5.0 Tablets: costs, messaging, and content transfer

The rollout starts at one facility, then expands. Indiana State Prison begins receiving Command 5.0 tablets on December 10, 2024. Other facilities will upgrade after the start of 2025, so your loved one's switch may come later depending on where they're housed.

This is a device swap, not just a software update. Old tablets get collected; new Command 5.0 tablets get issued. The devices remain state property - they're assigned for use, not ownership. Incarcerated individuals can be held responsible for intentionally lost or damaged tablets or accessories, so treat the new device like checked-out property.

The biggest day-to-day change for most families? Pricing. The new tablets use pay-as-you-go rates. Voice calls run $0.33 per minute. Messaging costs $0.50 per message. Photo attachments add $0.50 per photo on top of the message charge, and video messages cost $0.81 each. If you're sending a lot of media, the total can climb quickly.

For tablet services that run through Debt Link, the pricing works differently. Link units cost one cent each - so $1 buys 100 link units. These purchases are final with no refunds, so start small until you see how fast your loved one uses the balance.

If you've built up a long message history or sent a lot of pictures, plan ahead. Photos and emails from the current system will not transfer to the new messaging platform. Don't assume your existing inbox will just show up once the switch happens.

There's one reassuring piece: photos and messages will be archived on the new tablets. Your content isn't treated like it never existed. But it won't migrate cleanly into the new messaging app either - so think about what you want to save on your end, too.

These tablets don't work like regular consumer devices. They run on a secure, closed network with no internet access - no social media, no web browsing. Messaging is controlled too. Incarcerated individuals can't message each other, and they can only reach designated recipients.

Keep expectations realistic about ownership. The tablets are assigned for use but remain state property. Incarcerated individuals can be held responsible for intentionally lost or damaged tablets or accessories. The safest approach: keep the device secured and don't lend or trade accessories.

• ✓ The first pair of tablet headphones is provided at no cost.
• ✓ Any additional or replacement headphones must be purchased from the commissary.

1. Create a GettingOut.com account - you’ll need this account to send messages and photos on the new platform.
2. Save your login details somewhere safe - once the transition hits your loved one’s facility, having your account ready makes it easier to start messaging without delays.

You can set up your account ahead of time, but you may not be able to add your loved one as a contact until they receive the new tablet. Indiana State Prison starts issuing Command 5.0 tablets on December 10, 2024; other facilities upgrade after the start of 2025. If you're ready before your loved one's facility switches over, that's normal.

• ✓ Save or back up any photos you don’t want to lose from the current system, since photos and emails on the current system will not transfer to the new messaging system.
• ✓ If there are messages you may want to reference later, keep your own copy for your records.
• ✓ Treat the tablet archive as a helpful fallback, not your only backup: older photos and messages will be archived on the new tablets, but they still won’t transfer into the new messaging system the way a normal migration would.