I can't afford to pay GTL and inmateaid, what should I do?

The phone service at a particular correctional center is set up through a bid process. In this case, Global Tel*Link has the contract for all inmate outbound calling and to tape record the calls - essentially a monopoly. Therefore, you have to use them to receive any calls. The choice is whether you pay GTL for a long-distance call (to your number) or a local call (to a number that we get you). If you are already local, we cannot save you money. We get you a local line matching the rate center of the town where the jail is. Your inmate dials this local number, and it will ring on your current phone (nothing changes on your end). You will need to register the local number with GTL (just like you would your long-distance number without our service) who will charge you only for the local call. If your inmate can buy calling cards from the commissary, you will not need to go online and set this up; they can dial the local number directly with the card.

InmateAid takes care of the long-distance portion of the call. Paying two companies is good if the combined cost is less than it would be paying one company. If getting a line from InmateAid for $19.95 saves you $4-5 per call, and you talk to your inmate every day (saving $150); if you're talking once a week, it barely breaks even... You can decide which is better.