What the New Command 5.0 Tablets Mean for Your Loved One at Reception Diagnostic Center

Indiana DOC is rolling out ViaPath Command 5.0 tablets with an upgraded operating system and more Android apps. Think of it as a full refresh - newer software, more options than the current devices. Your loved one won't need to do anything to start the process. IDOC and ViaPath will come on-site to collect the old tablets and hand out the Command 5.0 replacements.

On the hardware side, some Command 5.0 tablets have two headphone jacks and magnetic charging. If your loved one mentions either of those features, it’s part of the new device design - not something they did or didn’t receive because of their account.

• ✓ The first pair of headphones is provided at no cost.
• ✓ Extra or replacement headphones have to be purchased through commissary.

With Command 5.0, messaging and tablet calls work on a pay-as-you-go basis. Tablet messages cost $0.50 each, and voice calls through the tablet run $0.33 per minute. If you're watching your budget, think in small increments: each message has a set cost, each call adds up by the minute. That makes expenses easier to track - especially during reception, when you might be messaging more often for updates.

These tablets don't work like a regular smartphone or home computer. They run on a separate intranet with no connection to the public internet and no social media access. Messaging has strict limits too: incarcerated individuals can't message other incarcerated individuals. Messages go only to approved outside contacts - not to people in other facilities or units.

The tablet is assigned to your loved one, but it stays state property. That distinction matters - incarcerated individuals can be held responsible for intentionally lost or damaged tablets and accessories. Worth repeating: messaging is a privilege limited to designated recipients. Your loved one can't use the device to message other incarcerated individuals, even people they know from another facility.

1. Set up your GettingOut.com account now - You’ll need it to keep sending messages and photos after the Command 5.0 transition, and you can create it ahead of time.
2. Add your loved one when prompted - Once your account is ready, follow the platform steps to select your loved one as a contact so you’re set up when the new tablets are issued.
3. Plan for pay-as-you-go costs - Messages are billed per message and tablet calls are billed per minute, so decide in advance how you want to manage spending and frequency.

Here's something that catches a lot of families off guard: photos and emails on the current tablet won't transfer to the Command 5.0 system. Going forward, photos and messages will be archived on the new tablets - but older content won't move over automatically. If there are photos or messages you can't afford to lose, save what you can before the rollout reaches your loved one's device.

At Reception Diagnostic Center, the upgrade happens through an IDOC/ViaPath site visit. Staff collect the current tablets and issue the new Command 5.0 devices. If your loved one is restricted from tablet services, they may receive a paper commissary order form instead.