Why your number isn’t active and how to manage an inmate’s 15-number call list at Greensville

At Greensville (VADOC), a phone number doesn't become "active" until the telephone subscriber grants consent to receive calls. Your loved one can add your number, but calls won't go through until you - the person authorized to make decisions for that phone line - complete the consent process. This can take several days. If you were just added, a short delay doesn't necessarily mean something went wrong.

1. Answer the automated consent prompts - The system will ask if you’re the person authorized to make decisions for that telephone number.
2. State your name clearly - You’ll be prompted to say your name as part of the consent.
3. Acknowledge call monitoring/recording - You’ll be asked to confirm you understand calls are monitored and recorded (with an exception for properly verified attorney calls that have approved recording blocks).

Greensville inmates have a hard cap: only 15 approved telephone numbers on their call list. Attorney numbers and investigator hotline numbers count toward that limit too. It's common for people to run out of room without realizing it - especially after transfers, contact changes, or adding legal numbers over time.

Here's the key: the inmate controls the list. Adding, removing, and managing numbers happens through the offender telephone system using auto-enrollment. VADOC's inmate phone system runs through ConnectNetwork by Global Tel*Link, so your loved one makes changes inside that system - not by having family call the prison to "add a number."

The approved list can include the people you’d expect: family, friends, and legal aid. Both landlines and cell phones can be added, and wireless numbers are managed the same way as landlines once they’re on the list.

1. Watch for the automated consent call - If your loved one just added your number, the system has to get your consent before your number becomes active.
2. Confirm you’re authorized for the line - When prompted, answer that you’re the person authorized to make decisions for that telephone number.
3. Say your name when asked - This is part of the consent process.
4. Agree to the monitoring/recording disclosure - You’ll be asked to acknowledge that calls are monitored and recorded. Once you complete the prompts, your consent is on file and the number can become active.

• ✓ Have the inmate double-check they entered your phone number correctly (every digit matters).
• ✓ Ask whether your number is stuck waiting for approval while still counting toward the 15-number limit.
• ✓ Confirm the inmate actually has room on their list (15 numbers maximum).
• ✓ If the list is full, have the inmate remove an old number through the auto-enrollment phone system before trying to add you again.

Once the list hits 15 approved numbers, there's no workaround. Your loved one has to remove someone before adding anyone new. That's done through the auto-enrollment offender telephone system. To avoid a lot of back-and-forth, coordinate first: decide which number is coming off, then add the replacement so the consent process can start right away.

• ✓ Ask the inmate which number they plan to remove (so you’re not guessing why you still can’t get calls).
• ✓ Agree on timing so you can answer the automated consent prompts when they add your number.
• ✓ After the swap, have the inmate confirm your number shows on their list and is being managed through the offender telephone system.

If your loved one has been transferred, the fix is still the same: check the offender telephone system. Call list changes happen through auto-enrollment regardless of facility. Confirm the number is on the list, make sure there's space under the 15-number limit, and verify that subscriber consent has been completed.