What the March 2025 Securus Tablet & Phone Transition Means for Families at Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison is switching phone and tablet services from ViaPath to Securus in early March 2025. Here's what the transition dates mean for you, what won't carry over, and what to do now to avoid losing money or content.
At Folsom, the phone transition is scheduled for 3/2. Tablets switch over between 3/3–3/6. If you rely on calls, video visits, or tablet messaging, expect some disruption during that window. Keep an eye out for updates - rollout schedules can shift.
Why the change? On February 21, 2025, the California Department of Technology awarded a new statewide telecommunications contract to Securus Technologies, LLC.
To avoid service blackouts during the handoff, CDCR secured an interim agreement with ViaPath. That means ViaPath stays active until each institution - including Folsom - hits its scheduled switch date.
Warning: Photos, e-messages, and media purchased through ViaPath won't transfer to the new Securus tablets. If there's anything your family wants to keep, treat the days before the tablet swap as your deadline to save or download it.
Got money sitting in a ViaPath balance you won't use before the transition? You can request a refund for the unused amount through the ViaPath call center. This is your main option if you prepaid and don't want to leave funds behind when the platform changes.
For your loved one's ViaPath balance on the inside, the process is different. Incarcerated people's balances will be refunded automatically to their trust accounts during the transition - no separate request needed.
At Folsom, the tablet switch requires a physical exchange. Your loved one will turn in their ViaPath tablet and receive a new Securus tablet. The smoothest approach: follow the facility's instructions during the exchange window (3/3–3/6) and expect both the device and the platform behind it to change.
The transition brings lower pricing for several everyday services. Video calls drop to $0.10 per minute with Securus, down from $0.16 per minute under ViaPath. E-messages go from $0.05 to $0.03 each, and inbound-only photos also drop from $0.05 to $0.03 each.
Free allowances change too - and so does how they're counted. Securus offers 30 free minutes of video calls per month, compared to ViaPath's 15 minutes per two weeks. For e-messages, Securus gives 20 free per month; ViaPath offered 5 free per week. Pay attention to whether your household plans around weekly or monthly resets.
One small but practical detail: replacement chargers drop from $7.99 under ViaPath to $3.98 under Securus. Not a huge line item, but worth knowing if your loved one needs one.
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- ✓ Confirm Folsom’s dates: phones transition on 3/2 and tablets transition 3/3–3/6.
- ✓ Treat the tablet swap as a content deadline: photos, e-messages, and ViaPath-purchased media won’t transfer to Securus, so save/download what you can before 3/3.
- ✓ Check any unused ViaPath balance you control and request a refund through the ViaPath call center if you don’t plan to use it before the switch.
- ✓ Expect a device handoff inside: your loved one will turn in the ViaPath tablet and receive a Securus tablet during the exchange window.
Reminder: CDCR's interim agreement with ViaPath keeps services running while institutions transition. At Folsom, tablets must be exchanged onsite - your loved one should follow facility instructions during the handoff.
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