How to avoid high Securus phone fees
I hope you remember me and remember all of the problems my daughter and I were having with Securus Tech. I have been meaning to let you know the outcome. I was able to go to Tucson with my daughter to visit. While we were there, we talked to an inmate and his wife and they gave us advice on how they avoid issues. We now put money on his account to buy a prepaid phone card. He calls the local Tucson numbers we have through you. This way, we bypass Securus Tech and all of the problems. The calls cost the same (only $1.84 per call). We have closed the accounts with Secure Tech and they did give us refunds. Since our inmate has been using the prepaid phone cards, we have not had one problem. Thanks for all of your help. It is appreciated!
What you discovered is exactly how many families reduce the high cost of inmate calls, especially in Arizona facilities.
Instead of funding accounts through Securus Technologies, which often includes extra fees just to add money, using prepaid calling cards purchased inside the facility can be a much more cost-effective option.
Here is why this method works well:
- Inmates buy calling cards directly through commissary
- Calls are made at a flat rate per call (around $1.84 in your case)
- There are no deposit fees like the $7 to $8 charges often added by Securus
- You avoid many of the billing and account issues tied to outside systems
By combining that with local numbers (like the Tucson numbers you set up), the calls stay at the lowest possible rate without extra layers of fees.
For many Arizona State Prison Complex units, calling cards are sold in increments (often $10), and inmates can use them as needed without strict limits on the number of calls, as long as they have balance available.
This approach cuts out unnecessary costs and simplifies the process, which is why so many families stick with it once they see how reliable it is.
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