Setting Up Phone Calls and Securus Video Visits for an Eastham Inmate

To receive phone calls from someone at the Eastham Unit (or any TDCJ facility), register your phone number through the Texas Inmate Telephone Friends & Family Enrollment online. You'll need the inmate's TDCJ ID number - the system uses it to match your registration to the right person. Once enrolled, your number is ready to receive calls through the TDCJ inmate telephone system.

Once your number is registered, you have a few payment options: collect calls billed to you, a prepaid "Friends & Family" account you fund ahead of time, or an inmate debit option that draws from the inmate's funds. What's available depends on your setup and the inmate's situation. The key first step? Get your phone number enrolled so calls can actually connect.

Phone access and call length depend on unit operations, so timing varies based on where the inmate is housed. Calls are often time-limited and can cut off automatically when the system reaches its limit. Plan for shorter conversations and cover the important stuff early.

Need help with telephone registration or other questions? Vendor customer service is available at (866) 806-7804, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Calling during those hours gives you the best chance of reaching someone. If you'd rather not call, the TDCJ Inmate Technology office accepts questions by email and through an online contact form (details below).

TDCJ offers remote video visits through Securus for eligible inmates. You schedule these on the vendor website. These are live video sessions (via kiosk) with set start and end times, so pick a slot you can fully commit to. Remote video visits are separate from regular contact or general visits - eligible inmates get one remote video visit per month, up to 60 minutes.

1. Go to the vendor website - Remote video visits must be scheduled through the vendor’s site.
2. Schedule your remote video visit - Choose an available time and keep in mind the limit of one remote video visit per month, up to 60 minutes.
3. Pay for the visit - A 60-minute Securus remote video visit costs $10.00.

Having trouble with a Securus remote video visit - connection issues, a visit that didn't work right, or other technical problems? Contact the Securus Customer Service Center at (877) 578-3658. For telephone registration or general phone system questions, call (866) 806-7804, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Need another way to get help? Email the TDCJ Inmate Technology office at offenderphones@tdcj.texas.gov or use the contact form on the offender phones page. This works well when you need to explain a situation in writing or follow up after a phone call.