Everything you need to know about Prison Calls fair usage policy

At Prison Call, we stand for offering affordable, transparent, and fair services to our customers. Our fair usage policy is designed to ensure that all users have access to reliable, high-quality service while preventing excessive use that could impact other customers. While we offer unlimited minutes as part of our plans, our Fair Usage Policy ensures that this usage remains within reasonable limits.

Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about our fair usage policy, including why it exists, how it works, and what happens if you exceed the limits.

What is our fair usage policy?

Our Fair Usage Policy is designed to make sure that all users have a fair and consistent experience when using Prison Call services. In practice, this policy sets a limit on the number of minutes you can use for making calls during any given month. For our service, this limit is set at 3,000 minutes per month, which translates to approximately 50 hours of talk time.

These minutes are reset on the first day of each calendar month, regardless of your billing cycle, and are intended to prevent excessive usage that could compromise the overall quality of service for all users.

Why do we have a fair usage policy?

There are several important reasons why we’ve implemented a Fair Usage Policy:

Preventing abuse and misuse
Unfortunately, there are instances where services like Prison Call can be exploited for non-legitimate purposes. The Fair Usage Policy helps us monitor and prevent the misuse of our services. While we trust that the vast majority of our users are honest and respectful, these rules allow us to catch and address instances where our services may be used inappropriately or fraudulently.

Keeping rates affordable
Prison Call aims to provide high-quality services at affordable rates, and to maintain this, we need to ensure that we’re balancing costs across our user base. The Fair Usage Policy allows us to continue offering competitive pricing without sacrificing the quality or availability of our services.‍

How does the fair usage policy work?

Our monthly plan includes 3,300 minutes, which equals approximately 50 hours of talk time. This covers 95% of our customers, meaning most users never exceed this limit. However, to prevent excessive usage:

- If a customer makes more than 40 calls per day, their account may trigger the fair usage policy

- If a customer exceeds the 3,300-minute monthly limit, additional minutes will be charged at 8p per minute

- A £10 top-up provides roughly 2.5 extra hours of talk time

For customers requiring more minutes or support, they can contact our support team to discuss additional options.

What happens if you go over your unlimited minutes?

While 3,300 minutes is a generous allowance for most users, there are cases where someone might exceed their monthly limit. If you reach or go over the allowed minutes, here’s what will happen:

Notification
When you’re approaching your 3,300-minute limit, we’ll send you a notification either by email or SMS (depending on your communication preferences) to inform you that you’re close to reaching the cap. This gives you time to manage your calls and avoid going over your limit unexpectedly.

Additional charges
If you exceed the 3,300 minute limit, or 40+ calls a day your landline may stop working and you will be required to purchase an additional top up. In most cases this should be enough until your monthly allowance renews but we alway suggest reaching out to our team if you have any issues.

Account restrictions
In rare cases, if excessive usage continues after hitting the limit, we may temporarily restrict your landline.This is only done in extreme situations where the service is being used disproportionately.

How can you make the most of your minutes?

Now that you know how the Fair Usage Policy works, here are a few tips to ensure you get the most value out of your 3,300 minutes each month:

Plan your calls wisely
If you know that you have a limited number of minutes, it’s a good idea to plan your calls in advance. Schedule times to speak with your loved one and stick to a regular calling routine. This ensures that you can spread your calls out evenly throughout the month without going over the limit.

Prioritise important conversations
Use your minutes for the conversations that matter most. While it’s tempting to call frequently, you might want to reserve longer conversations for important topics. Encouraging letter-writing or other forms of communication for less urgent matters can help you preserve your minutes.

Monitor your usage
Regularly logging into your account to check your call usage is a great way to stay on track. If you notice that you’re getting close to your 3,300-minute limit, you can adjust your call schedule accordingly.

Take advantage of promotions
Occasionally, Prison Call offers promotions or discounts that allow users to get more value from their service. Keep an eye out for special deals, which may offer you extra minutes or reduced rates on overage charges.

What counts as excessive use?

Excessive use is defined as any activity that goes beyond what is considered normal usage patterns. This includes:

- Making more than 40 calls per day

- Using the service in a manner inconsistent with personal use, or fraudulent activities

- Exceeding the allocated limit of 3,300 minutes per month repeatedly

Can you increase your fair usage limit?

Yes, if you frequently need more minutes we offer top-up options to extend your calling allowance. If you require additional minutes regularly, we recommend contacting our support team, who can provide tailored solutions to suit your needs.

At prison call we are committed to providing the best service to our customers, and getting you the cheapest calls from prison. Our fair usage policy is in place to ensure that all of our customers receive a high-quality, fair, and affordable service. By setting reasonable limits our aim is to prevent misuse, and keep our pricing competitive.

If you have any questions or require additional minutes, our support team is here to help. If you have any questions our team is always here to help.