How to Call an Inmate in Minnesota
You can’t call an inmate who is incarcerated in a facility managed by the Minnesota Department of Correction. Inmates can only make calls during specific times through the GTL Connect Network using Advance Pay.
Offenders can place collect phone calls, which will charge the recipient of the phone call, or offenders may purchase their own phone time through canteen. Three-way phone calls or forwarding a call when on the phone with an offender is not allowed.
If there is a death, serious illness, or injury in an offender’s family, call the facility where they are housed and leave a message. Staff will verify the information and give the message to the inmate.
What is GTL AdvancePay?
AdvancePay is the GTL ConnectNetwork’s fastest and most convenient phone service that connects friends and family members to inmates incarcerated in a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility.
When you create an AdvancePay account, you’re creating a prepaid collect calling service that allows an inmate to call your phone number using deposited funds. You can even set up multiple AdvancePay accounts if you have inmates in separate facilities and wish to have calls directed to different phone numbers.
After you set up an AdvancePay account, you can start adding money and receiving phone calls. As long as you have a balance for at least a one-minute call in your account, you can receive a call at any time.
To ensure you don’t miss any calls, you can sign up on the website or via the App to be notified via text messages when your balance is low, or sign up for AutoReload to automatically replenish your account.
With an AdvancePay account, only your phone number can be called with the funds in your account. You control expenses and call acceptance, and there are options available to securely store your credit card number and automatically reload your account when your account balance is low.
You can sign up for helpful alerts by text, email, or automated phone call to remind you to fund your account when your balance is low. It’s easy and quick to make mobile deposits via the ConnectNetwork mobile app for both iPhone and Android.
Once you establish an account which becomes active as soon as you fund it, you can receive calls from an inmate. You always have the option to accept or reject a call and the value of each completed call is immediately deducted from your account.
If an inmate is expected to be released shortly after intake (e.g., within 24 to 48 hours) or you do not have sufficient credit card funds for a minimum deposit, there is a variation of AdvancePay that allows you to pay for just one call.
Refunds are available if the inmate who calls you is released, or you no longer need an AdvancePay account.
Costs are determined by each correctional facility. The amount you choose to deposit into your account can vary depending on how much phone time you’ll want. AdvancePay rates and fees are published in your ConnectNetwork account.
You can add money to your ConnectNetwork account with a deposit online or over the phone at (800) 483-8314. Online or by phone are the quickest ways to fund your ConnectNetwork account, but there are other payment options available for AdvancePay.
