Why Your Cell Phone Can't Receive Collect Calls from Lake County Jail — and the One Free Call Rule
When calls from Lake County Jail keep failing, the problem usually isn't a wrong number. Collect calls have built-in limits—especially to cell phones—and Telmate's one-time, one-minute free call rule gives you a brief window to sort things out.
Lake County Jail uses Telmate for inmate phone calls. The rules about which calls go through - and your options when they don't - depend on how Telmate's system works.
One of the calling options is a collect call. With collect calling, the person receiving the call is the one who accepts the charges and pays for the call - not the inmate.
Here's where most families get stuck: inmates at Lake County Jail can't place collect calls to cell phones. If the only number you have is a mobile, the call may fail before you ever get a chance to accept it. Collect calls also won't connect to business phones. And if your number is blocked from receiving collect calls, the system can't complete a standard collect call there either. In all three cases, it looks like "the jail won't let them call" - but it's actually the collect-call restrictions on the number being dialed.
Note: If your phone number is blocked from receiving collect calls, a normal collect call won’t connect to that number.
Telmate has a "one free call" feature that catches people off guard. When an inmate tries calling a number blocked from collect calls, Telmate allows a one-time, one-minute free call between the inmate and that number. This isn't a calling plan kicking in - it's a limited exception triggered by the collect-call block.
Tip: Treat that one minute like a reset button - use it to quickly coordinate the next step so you can keep calls going after the free minute ends.
- Use the one-minute call to make a plan - If you get the one-time, one-minute complimentary call, use it to confirm you’re talking to the right person and to agree on what number they should try next once you set up prepaid access.
- Set up prepaid calling by phone - To receive prepaid calls, you can set up a prepaid call account by calling Telmate toll-free at 1-866-516-0115.
- Set up prepaid calling online - You can also set up a prepaid call account through Telmate’s website at www.gettingout.com.
- ✓ If you want prepaid calls, set up a prepaid call account with Telmate
- ✓ By phone: call Telmate toll-free at 1-866-516-0115
- ✓ Online: create your prepaid call account at www.gettingout.com
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