Video Call Costs Are Dropping: What the CDCR Switch to Securus Means for Your Budget
Two changes in CDCR's cost comparison chart will hit your budget the hardest: video calls and e-messages. Video calls drop to $0.10 per minute with Securus, down from $0.16 per minute under ViaPath. E-messages fall to $0.03 each, compared to $0.05 with ViaPath.
Savings snapshot: The video-call rate drops from $0.16/min to $0.10/min (a 37.5% cut), and e-messages drop from $0.05 to $0.03 each (a 40% cut).
Pricing out a video call is simple: multiply your minutes by $0.10. A 30-minute call costs $3.00. That's your planning number - decide how many minutes you want per week or month, then multiply by ten cents.
Think in chunks of time. Three 10-minute calls still add up to 30 minutes - $3.00 total at $0.10/min. Short check-ins or one longer conversation, the math stays the same because you're charged by the minute. CDCR says the vendor switch is designed to reduce costs for families while keeping access to educational, rehabilitative, and entertainment content.
Free video-call allotments are shifting too. ViaPath gave you 15 free minutes every two weeks. Securus gives you 30 free minutes per month. Over four weeks, the total free time is roughly the same - but the timing changes. Instead of a mid-month reset, you get one monthly pool to work with.
E-messages drop from $0.05 each under ViaPath to $0.03 each with Securus. If your budget is tight, messages become a cheaper way to stay connected when a full video call isn't necessary.
Planning tip: With 30 minutes free per month instead of a mid-month reset, you'll need to pace your calls across the full month.
Budget Tips
- ✓ Use your free video-call minutes first each month (30 minutes/month under Securus).
- ✓ Price your calls by the minute: minutes × $0.10 = your video-call cost.
- ✓ If you’re paying for time, decide your monthly minute target first, then stick to it.
- ✓ When a quick update will do, send an e-message instead of starting a call ($0.03 each under Securus).
- ✓ If you used to budget at $0.16/min for video calls or $0.05 per message, update your spreadsheet or notes to the new rates so you don’t overfund.
- Confirm whether your institution has transitioned yet - CDCR says institutions will switch at different times, and the platform you use depends on whether the facility has already moved to Securus.
- Create or update your Securus account - Securus guidance says you’ll need an account to receive video calls.
- Add funds for prepaid video calls (if you plan to pay for calls) - Securus also states you’ll add funds to your account for prepaid video calls, which helps you control spending by loading only what you intend to use.
Heads up: Once your facility transitions, you'll need to use Securus going forward. You'll also need a Securus account to receive video calls and add prepaid funds. CDCR says the goal is lower costs for families while maintaining access to educational, rehabilitative, and entertainment content.
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