Why Your Call From a Virginia Inmate Cuts Off at 20 Minutes—and What Happens Next

Calls on the inmate telephone system in Virginia Department of Corrections facilities are capped at 20 minutes unless the Director has specifically authorized longer calls. That's the default most families encounter. So if your call ends cleanly right around the 20-minute mark, the system hit its time limit. Nobody hung up on you.

Calls can also cut off during facility counts. Counts are routine, and when they happen, staff pause inmate telephone access. This can make phones temporarily unavailable even if you haven't hit the 20-minute limit yet.

Phone access can also be suspended without warning. Staff may cut telephone access at any time for emergency or security reasons. A sudden disconnect might be tied to something happening inside the facility, not anything you said or did on the call.

1. Assume they may try again - If the call ends abruptly (especially right at 20 minutes), stay available for a new incoming call.
2. Check your phone funding method - Make sure there is money available for calls. Family and friends can fund a prepaid phone account (AdvancePay) through ConnectNetwork, or by calling ConnectNetwork toll-free at 1-800-483-8314.
3. Have the 7-digit state ID ready for PIN Debit deposits - If you are depositing to an inmate’s PIN Debit Account in ConnectNetwork, you will need the inmate’s 7-digit state ID number. In the ConnectNetwork prompts, select “VA,” then “Department of Corrections,” and follow the prompts to complete the deposit.

• ✓ Start with the most important updates first, in case the call ends right at the 20-minute limit.
• ✓ Keep hellos and goodbyes short so you do not spend a big chunk of the call on setup.
• ✓ If you have multiple topics, agree on an order (for example, urgent family needs first, then routine news).
• ✓ Plan a quick “next call” note near the end: what you will follow up on, what paperwork or info you will look up, and what can wait.

Virginia Department of Corrections uses ConnectNetwork by Global Tel*Link for its inmate phone system. That's why deposits, prepaid plans, and account setup all go through the ConnectNetwork platform.

Calls longer than 20 minutes are only allowed if the Director specifically authorizes it. The policy doesn't describe a standard process families can use to request that authorization. Plan around the 20-minute limit as the rule.

Tips Reduce Frustration

• ✓ Build your routine around shorter calls, since 20 minutes is the standard limit.
• ✓ Keep a running list of what you want to cover so you are not scrambling once the call connects.
• ✓ Set expectations with your loved one that longer conversations may need to be split across multiple calls.
• ✓ If something is time-sensitive, lead with it instead of saving it for later in the call.

1. Set up AdvancePay (family and friends prepaid) - Use ConnectNetwork to deposit money into a prepaid phone account, or call ConnectNetwork toll-free at 1-800-483-8314.
2. Set up PIN Debit deposits (inmate account funding) - In ConnectNetwork, choose “VA,” then “Department of Corrections,” and follow the prompts. Have the inmate’s 7-digit state ID number ready so the deposit goes to the right person.
3. Keep the key details handy - Save the toll-free number and the 7-digit state ID somewhere you can find quickly, so a dropped call does not turn into a long delay.

If phone calls keep cutting off at the wrong moment, consider other approved ways to stay in touch for longer updates. Even a short written note can take pressure off your next 20-minute call, freeing up that time for questions, decisions, and anything that needs back-and-forth.