How VoIP Changes Inmate Phone Calls — A Plain Guide for Marion‑Walthall Families

This is relevant if calls to or from Marion‑Walthall start behaving more like an internet call than a traditional landline call - think occasional delay, choppy audio, or issues that seem tied to “the network” instead of the phone line. You don’t need to know the vendor or the exact equipment to use this guide; it’s here to give you the technical context and the vocabulary that often shows up in notices or support conversations. It won’t replace the facility’s rules or the phone provider’s account policies, but it will help you ask clearer questions when something feels off.

1. Call the facility’s main line - ask who handles inmate phone questions (sometimes it’s administration; sometimes they’ll direct you to the phone provider).
2. Ask directly whether the phone system is VoIP - you can say, “Are inmate calls running over VoIP or a network-based phone system?”
3. Look for posted notices - check any official postings you’ve been given (paperwork, lobby notices, or facility announcements) for vendor names, “system maintenance,” or “network” language.

VoIP stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol.” In plain terms, it means the voice in a phone call is turned into digital data and sent across a computer network in small chunks (often called “packets”), instead of traveling over a dedicated, continuous phone circuit like a traditional landline. The call can still feel like a normal phone call on your end, but behind the scenes it’s being handled more like other network traffic - sent, routed, and reassembled into audio.

A VoIP phone still has to “reach” the network somehow. Many VoIP devices connect with a wired Ethernet cable (the same kind of cable used for many computers and office networks). Others connect wirelessly over Wi‑Fi, using nearby wireless access points to bridge the device onto the facility’s network. In either setup, the phone isn’t relying on an old-style telephone jack in the same way a traditional landline would; it’s using the facility’s data network as the pathway for the call.

You may also hear about PoE, short for “Power over Ethernet.” With PoE, a device can receive electrical power through the same Ethernet cable that carries its network data. In practice, this can make installations simpler because a wall-mounted VoIP phone may not need a separate power adapter plugged into an outlet right next to it.

• ✓ An Ethernet-style cable running to a phone or phone-like device
• ✓ A wall-mounted phone with no obvious power brick or outlet nearby (it may be powered by PoE)
• ✓ Wi‑Fi access points nearby (ceiling or wall units) that suggest devices connect wirelessly

Because VoIP treats voice as data packets moving across a network, the call experience can change in ways that feel unfamiliar if you’re used to “plain old” phone service. If the network is busy or there’s a network hiccup, you might notice a slight delay, moments of choppy audio, or a call that drops and then reconnects normally later. It doesn’t automatically mean someone did something wrong or that your phone is the problem - VoIP calls depend on the health of the network path the audio is traveling through.

If you see technical language like “Partial On (Sleep),” “Off Mode,” or “On Mode,” it’s usually describing the power or readiness state of a device (or a system component), not a calling rule. “On Mode” generally means the device is fully powered and operating normally. “Off Mode” means it’s powered down. “Partial On (Sleep)” is the in-between state: the device isn’t fully active, but it can stay in a low-power standby condition so it can wake up faster or remain partially responsive when needed.

• ✓ Partial On (Sleep) - low-power standby; not fully active, but not fully off
• ✓ Off Mode - powered down
• ✓ On Mode - fully powered and operating

1. Confirm the technology - ask whether inmate calls are handled through VoIP and whether phones connect via Ethernet or Wi‑Fi.
2. Ask what “maintenance” means - if calls are failing at certain times, ask whether there are scheduled system updates, network maintenance windows, or power-related work that could affect service.
3. Get the right place to report issues - ask who should receive persistent call-quality problems (facility staff, the phone provider, or both) and what details help (date/time, whether it dropped, whether audio was delayed).
4. Use the terms you’ve heard - if someone mentions “sleep mode” or “off mode,” ask whether that refers to the phone hardware, a network device, or a broader system setting so you’re not guessing.