How Phone Calls Work at Illinois Prisons: Two Ways to Pay
If someone you care about is in an Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) prison, you have two ways to pay for phone calls. Here's how each option works, what the switch to ICSolutions means for you, and where to get help if something goes wrong.
IDOC gives you two ways to fund phone calls. The right choice depends on how you want the money handled. The first option is a Friends & Family prepaid account through ICSolutions. You set up your own account, add funds, and pay for calls as you receive them. The second option: deposit money into your loved one's trust account so they can buy phone minutes through commissary. You're not paying for calls directly - you're funding their account, and they purchase the minutes themselves.
- ✓ Friends & Family prepaid (ICSolutions): Create an ICSolutions Friends & Family prepaid account, then add funds to that account to pay for calls you receive.
- ✓ Commissary minutes: Add money to the incarcerated person’s trust account so they can purchase phone minutes through commissary.
IDOC recently switched phone services to ICSolutions. If you were used to the old system, this affects where you manage your account and how funding works. During the transition, IDOC says phone credits and approved calling lists will transfer to ICSolutions automatically. That should prevent anyone from losing their ability to make calls just because the vendor changed.
Transition heads-up: Securus Advance Connect balances for friends and family won't transfer automatically to ICSolutions - you'll need to contact Securus directly about refunds. IDOC recommends keeping enough funds on Securus to cover one to two weeks of calls, and expect a one- to two-day interruption in phone service during the switch.
Setting up service for the first time? Or restarting after the vendor change? Look for IDOC's phone vendor transition information and the instructions for creating an ICSolutions account. These documents walk you through opening and funding your account - the step that usually causes the most delays when you're trying to get calls working again.
People in IDOC custody can't receive incoming calls. They can only call out to numbers on their approved calling list. If you're waiting on a call that never comes, the problem might not be money - you may not be on the approved list yet. To get added, reach out to your loved one and ask them to put you on their calling list.
Questions about calls or account problems? Contact ICSolutions Customer Service at 888.506.8407 or email Customer@icsolutions.com.
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