Phone & Video Calls in Montana (MT DOC)

How phone calls work

At Montana’s state prisons, the phone vendor is ICSolutions (ICS Corrections, Inc.), and families set up and fund accounts through ICSolutions. Calls are placed on either an inmate-debit account, funded from the incarcerated person’s own account, or a Prepaid Collect account, funded by the person receiving the calls. The per-minute call rate is set in the vendor contract and is subject to change, so confirm the current rate with ICSolutions before funding an account.

Calls are placed on the housing unit’s phones, and the tablets described below can also place calls. The incarcerated person places the call; families cannot call in. To receive calls, set up a Prepaid Collect account through ICSolutions and have the incarcerated person’s full name and AO Number ready. ICSolutions lists the service fees that apply to deposits and account transactions; review those fees at the point of payment, as they are charged in addition to call costs.

Tablets and messaging

Montana’s state prisons use the GettingOut platform for tablets. In addition to placing phone calls, tablets handle electronic messaging, photos, eCards, and video messages, and they are the device through which scanned personal mail is delivered. (Incoming personal mail is scanned off-site before it reaches the tablet — see Mail.) Per-message and per-item prices are set by the vendor and change, so confirm them before sending.

Video visits

Montana’s state prisons offer video visits through The Visitor by ICSolutions, used on a smartphone, computer, or tablet at thevisitor.icsenforcer.com. Video visitation is a separate product from in-person visiting. Because the platform and any per-session price are set by the vendor and change, confirm the current per-session cost with ICSolutions before booking, and confirm what is offered for the specific facility.

Contract facilities

Two facilities that hold Montana men under contract — Crossroads Correctional Center (Shelby) and Dawson County Correctional Facility (Glendive) — may run their own phone and video systems. The Montana Department of Corrections notes that not all communication options are available at contracted facilities. Confirm the phone, messaging, and video providers, and how to set up an account, directly with whichever facility holds the person.

Sending money

Calls, tablet messaging, and the trust account that funds them are funded separately. For depositing money — including to an inmate-debit account through ICSolutions — see Sending Money.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Staying in Touch.