What to Do When You Hit Your Collect Call Billing Limit (Pendleton callers)
Can't accept collect calls from Pendleton anymore? It's almost always a billing or eligibility block on your phone line—not something the incarcerated person can fix from their end. Here's how to figure out what happened and get calls working again.
Standard collect calls from Pendleton get charged to you - the person receiving the call - and billed monthly through your phone carrier. Accept too many, and your carrier may cut off new collect charges once you hit their dollar limit. Blocks also happen for simpler reasons: your local phone company might not offer collect-call billing at all, or your number type won't accept collect charges. Cell phones and work lines are common culprits.
Common reasons you’re blocked: Your phone carrier doesn’t offer collect-call billing, you hit the carrier’s maximum dollar limit for collect calls, or you’re trying to accept collect calls on a cell phone or work phone.
Call your phone carrier and ask two questions: Is my line eligible for collect-call billing? Have I hit the maximum dollar limit for collect charges? Since Pendleton collect calls bill through your carrier monthly, they're usually the ones enforcing the limit or restriction.
Hit a billing limit? The fastest fix is switching from standard collect billing to prepaid collect through an AdvancePay account. Set one up at ConnectNetwork.com or call 800-483-8314. Once your account is linked to your phone number and funded, you can receive calls again - no more relying on your carrier's monthly collect billing.
- ✓ Create an AdvancePay account (through ConnectNetwork)
- ✓ Add funds so the account has at least a one-minute call balance
- ✓ Confirm the account is active for the phone number you want to receive calls on
- ✓ Keep a balance in the account; call charges are deducted from the account as calls complete
Quick setup by phone: Call ViaPath/ConnectNetwork at 800-483-8314 to sign up for an AdvancePay prepaid calling account.
Want an option that doesn't depend on your phone line accepting collect calls at all? Ask your loved one about PIN Debit (also called inmate debit). With PIN Debit, the incarcerated person pays for calls using their own funds - typically from their commissary or trust account. You can also purchase phone minutes for their PIN Debit account by creating an Offender Phone account through ConnectNetwork. Once credited, those funds work for calls to any allowed phone number.
Need calls working quickly? Plan around deposit processing times. ConnectNetwork trust-fund deposits made through automated channels reach the facility within one business day - helpful when you're trying to get funds available for PIN Debit calling.
Tip: If collect billing keeps failing on your line, AdvancePay or PIN Debit is usually more reliable than trying to force standard collect billing to work - especially if your number type won’t accept collect calls.
Need help figuring out what's blocking your calls? Call ViaPath customer service at 877-650-4249. They can submit a request to remove a block on receiving collect calls - typically takes 1–2 business days. If you'd rather skip the wait and switch to prepaid collect, call 800-483-8314 to set up an AdvancePay account instead.
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