How to Put Money on Someone's Phone/Tablet Account at Orange Correctional Center (and What It Costs)
If your loved one is at Orange Correctional Center, phone and tablet services run through North Carolina's statewide system. Here's how to add funds through the right portal, who's allowed to deposit, and what to expect for fees and account rules.
North Carolina prisons use ViaPath (GTL) for offender tablets and communication services. Those tablets handle phone calls, texting, digitized mail, educational programs, and entertainment. So when you're funding phone or tablet communication for someone at Orange Correctional Center, you're working within the ViaPath/GTL system that NCDAC uses statewide.
To purchase phone time for someone at an NCDAC facility (including Orange Correctional Center), go to ConnectNetwork. This is ViaPath's authorized deposit and account management portal. You'll set up a prepaid calling account there, and funds become available when your loved one places a call.
- Go to ConnectNetwork and start an account - ConnectNetwork is the authorized portal for setting up and managing prepaid calling funds for NCDAC facilities.
- Choose the option to add funds - once you’re logged in, you can add money to the prepaid telephone account and check balances.
- Pay with an accepted card - ViaPath/GTL accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards for ConnectNetwork payments.
Accepted Methods Who Can Deposit
- ✓ Visa
- ✓ MasterCard
- ✓ Discover
Before you try to send money, make sure you're approved. NCDAC only allows people listed as approved visitors for that offender to deposit funds into their account. If your payment keeps failing or you're blocked from depositing, check your visitor approval status first.
Need help with a deposit? ViaPath's toll-free assistance line is 877-650-4249.
If you set up a ConnectNetwork Friends and Family account, keep an eye on activity. ViaPath's policy states that a Friends and Family account becomes inactive and is subject to forfeiture after 180 consecutive days of inactivity or non-use, unless a shorter or longer period applies based on governing law or contract. Any account activity during that window resets the clock.
Refunds and customer service: If a Friends and Family account goes inactive, ViaPath/GTL says you can request a refund by calling 866-516-0115. For general deposit issues, call 877-650-4249.
Costs depend on how you send money. NCDAC publishes a Money Transfer Fees table (effective August 1, 2023) showing that fees vary by deposit amount and by channel, including online, phone, money order, and Western Union. The table breaks fees into deposit ranges (for example, $0.01–$19.99, $20.00–$99.00, and higher tiers). The quickest way to estimate your cost is to match your deposit amount to the method you plan to use.
- ✓ Online deposits: fee varies by the amount you send (see the Money Transfer Fees table, effective Aug. 1, 2023)
- ✓ Phone deposits: fee varies by the amount you send (see the same table)
- ✓ Money orders: shown as a $0.00 transfer fee on the state fee table
- ✓ Western Union: shown with a fee on the state fee table (for example, $3.00 in the listed ranges)
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