Inmate Phone Calls
1. Who is ICSolutions?
ICSolutions is the inmate telephone service provider at the Jefferson County, MO Detention Center. ICSolutions offers you the option to set up one of two account types that enable you to fund (prepay for) calls placed to you by an inmate.
2. I used to receive Collect Calls from an inmate, but now I can't. What changed?
Collect calls are only allowed to traditional wire-line telephone numbers, for which a third-party billing agreement is in place. To accept collect calls, the account for that number must always be in good standing, which includes timely payment of all charges billed.
Many phone companies establish maximum limits on the amount of collect calling that can be charged to a phone number during a given month. These limits are designed to protect consumers by preventing them from inadvertently incurring very high phone bills that they may not be able to pay. If you have reached your monthly limit, your account will reset on the first day of the following month.
Also, if you recently changed your telephone service to a VOIP or digital provider, traditional collect calling is no longer available. However, a Prepaid Account can be set up by visiting www.icsolutions.com or by calling their customer service center at 888-506-8407.
3. Do you offer alternative methods for an inmate to call me if I cannot receive Collect Calls?
Yes. We have two funding options available: 1) a Prepaid Account, which only allows inmate calls to the specific telephone number that is funded, or 2) a Debit Telephone Account, where your payment is deposited into an inmate's telephone calling account. It is important to know that after an inmate's telephone account is funded, those funds belong to the inmate, and are not refundable to you.
Both accounts enable inmates to call facility-approved telephone numbers that are not eligible to receive collect calls. As the name implies, "prepaid" calling services are purchased in advance, so they are not subject to the collect-calling restrictions described above. Even if you have a cell phone, VOIP phone, business phone, or a high balance on your phone bill, you will still be able to receive phone calls from inmates as long as there are sufficient funds available in the account.
4. Which account option is best for me?
ICSolutions offers two types of calling accounts to help you stay connected with a family member or friend:
- A Prepaid Account enables you to purchase prepaid phone services for receiving phone calls on one specifically designated telephone number (a home phone, cell phone or business phone). The inmate can make calls only to that designated telephone number.
- A Debit Telephone Account enables you to purchase prepaid phone services for the inmate. The inmate can then make calls to any telephone numbers that are not restricted by the facility, including your telephone number. After Debit Account funds have been placed in the inmate's calling account, the funds become the property of the inmate. If the inmate is released or transferred to another facility, the inmate may receive a refund for any funds remaining in the account (at the discretion of the facility).
After prepaid phone services are purchased for a Prepaid or Debit Telephone Account using a debit card or credit card, calls can be accepted immediately after the payment is made. Other payment options require additional processing time.
5. What is the main difference between a Prepaid Account and a Debit Telephone account?
When you fund a Prepaid Account, the funds belong to you. You control whether the inmate uses the funds by either accepting or rejecting each call placed to you by the inmate.
When you fund a Debit Telephone account, the funds belong to the inmate. He/she can call any phone number that is not restricted by the facility.
6. How can I set up a new account?
Call ICSolutions Customer Care at (888) 506-8407,
OR
Access ICSolutions online at www.icsolutions.com and complete the fields in the 'Create an Account' box. Click Submit to begin the account registration process.
7. What are my payment options for funding an account?
You may purchase prepaid services for a Prepaid Account or a Debit Telephone Account by using any of the following payment options:
- Visa and MasterCard credit cards
- Debit card
With these two payment options, the funds are available for immediate use toward payment of charges for an inmate’s call.
- Western Union (for Prepaid Accounts only; cannot be used to make payment toward an Debit Telephone Account)
- Money order or cashier’s check
Since payments made with these options require additional processing, the funds are not available for use until they have been posted to the calling account.
8. What payment methods can I use when making a payment online?
You can use a valid credit or debit card (MasterCard or Visa). Other cards are not accepted.
9. How do I make a payment to an account?
Visa and MasterCard credit or debit card payments: Call ICS Customer Care at (888) 506-8407 or access the ICS Payments portal online at www.icsolutions.com to access your account by login/password.
Cash payments (Western Union, cashier's check, or money order): Mail your payment to:
ICSolutions
2200 Danbury Street
San Antonio, TX 78217
10. Can an inmate call me at more than one telephone number?
Yes and No, depending on the account type.
With a Prepaid collect account, NO, because the account is associated with one phone number only. Therefore, you must set up a Prepaid Collect account for each telephone number – unless you want to set up and fund a Debit Telephone account as described below.
With a Debit Telephone account, YES, because the funds belong to the inmate – and he/she can call any number that is not otherwise blocked by the facility.
11. Can I have more than one Prepaid Account?
Yes, because each Prepaid Account is associated with only one designated telephone number. If you have more than one telephone number (for example, a home number and a cell phone), you can set up a separate Prepaid Account for each number and purchase prepaid phone services separately under each account.
12. Can I receive calls from more than one inmate?
Yes, as long as you are willing to accept the calls and your phone number is not restricted by the facility or for the specific inmate.
13. How long do I have to use available funds in a Prepaid Account?
Prepaid Account phone services expire six months from the date of your last purchase (funding) to the account, unless otherwise required by state law. In other words, if you do not fund the account for a period of six months, you will forfeit any funds remaining the account.
14. Can I get a refund if I close a Prepaid Account?
Yes. If you elect to close a Prepaid Account, you may request a refund of an unexpired balance.
15. How can I get a refund of an unexpired balance in my Prepaid Account?
Prepaid Account phone services expire six months from the date of your last purchase, unless otherwise required by law. If you elect to close a Prepaid Account, you may request a refund of an unexpired balance. To request a refund by phone, call (888) 506-8407. Customer Care Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
You may also submit your request via email to icscustomer@icsolutions.com, or in writing to:
ICSolutions
2200 Danbury Street
San Antonio, TX 78217
Be sure to include your name, address, and the Prepaid Account phone number with an e-mail or mail-in refund request.
16. Can an inmate get a refund from a Debit Telephone Account?
Maybe. If the inmate is released or transferred to another facility, the inmate may receive a refund for any funds remaining in his/her Debit Telephone Account. Since the funds become the inmate's property after you fund a Debit Telephone Account, any refund due to the inmate is subject to the discretion of the correctional facility.
17. Can I leave a voicemail message for an inmate?
Yes. In order to leave voice messages for an inmate, however, you must have a Prepaid Collect Account established (not available with a Debit Telephone Account).
If the correctional facility offers inmate voice mail services, a special toll-free Voicemail Number is set up for you to call to leave voice messages for an inmate. This number will be provided to you by the facility.
When you call the Voicemail Number, you will be prompted to enter your Prepaid Account information to confirm that you have an established account. You will then be prompted to enter the inmate ID or the first three letters of the inmate's last name to retrieve an inmate list. After selecting an inmate from the list, you will be prompted to record your voicemail message. The message will be immediately available for immediate retrieval by the inmate as long as they have current phone usage privileges.
When you leave a voice message for an inmate, you are billed for the call duration at the same rate as if the inmate was calling you.
18. Are my phone conversations with inmates recorded?
Yes. At most correctional facilities, all calls are subject to monitoring and recording. Exceptions are made in the case of confidential calls, such as those between an attorney and their client. For specific policies, please contact the correctional facility.
19. I am an attorney. How can I ensure that my phone calls will not be recorded or monitored?
State regulations regarding the recording of calls between an attorney and an inmate may vary depending on the state. You must contact the facility directly to determine what information they require to set up your phone number for confidentiality. After submitting proof of your status as an attorney (such as your Bar information), the facility will configure your telephone number as "confidential" – and therefore not subjected to monitoring and recording
20. Does ICSolutions offer a Direct Billing option?
At the discretion of ICSolutions, a Direct Billing option may be available for law offices or bail bonding service providers that receive high volumes of inmate collect calls from a correctional facility. To inquire about setting up a Direct Billing account, contact ICSolutions at (800) 464-8957. Direct Billing representatives are available from 8:00am to 5:00pm Central time, Monday through Friday.
21. After prepaid phone services are purchased, how long does it take before I can receive phone calls?
After prepaid phone services are purchased for a Prepaid Account or Debit Telephone Account using a debit card or credit card, calls can be accepted immediately after the payment is made.
After prepaid phone services are purchased for a Prepaid Account or Debit Telephone Account using a money order, or a cashier's check, calls can be accepted only after ICSolutions has received the payment by mail, and has posted the payment to the funded account.
After prepaid phone services are purchased for a Prepaid Account using Western Union, calls can be accepted only after standard processing of the payment.
22. My phone call was inaudible or was disconnected during the call. How can I get a refund for the cost of that call?
If you encounter one of these problems, call our toll-free Customer Care line at (888) 506-8407. Customer Care Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to submit your inquiry for review by our investigations team. Our investigations team will determine the root cause of the problem and notify you of those results.
23. How do I avoid disconnection of my call to an inmate?
Several events can cause a failure to connect a call, or disconnection of a call in progress. To prevent such events, please comply with the following guidelines:
- Do not attempt a three-way call.
- Do not use call forwarding or call waiting on your phone.
- After your call is connected to an inmate, do not press any numbers on your keypad.
- Avoid long periods of silence during conversations.