Tablets at SCI Phoenix: how link units, ordering, and ViaPath support work

At SCI Phoenix, only the inmate can order a tablet - and it has to go through the Pennsylvania DOC commissary system. You can't call the prison or vendor to order one on their behalf. Your loved one submits the commissary order from their side.

What you can do is make sure they have the funds to buy it. Send money through a JPay account, and once it hits their balance, they can use it for the commissary order.

Link units are the tablet's spendable currency - one link unit equals one penny. Inmates use them to buy songs, send emails, play games, and access other DOC-approved content.

Link units work the same way as the tablet itself: the inmate orders them through commissary. If your loved one needs more link units, they'll place the order - and they'll need enough funds in their account to cover it.

Got questions about the tablet from the outside? Especially anything that feels like a vendor or device issue? Start with ViaPath Technologies. Their customer service line for tablet support is 877-650-4249.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Make sure you’ve sent money to the inmate (you’ll need a JPay account) so they have funds available to purchase a tablet through commissary.

1. Confirm they placed the commissary order - tablets can only be ordered by the inmate through the DOC commissary system, so checking in with your loved one can save you a lot of back-and-forth.

For tablet support questions (not ordering issues), call ViaPath's friends-and-family line at 877-650-4249. It's the fastest way to get help from the outside.