It does not matter what company your cell phone is with. None of them allow calls to go through directly like they would on a home phone line. This applies for all cell phones. First of all, most state DOC's do not approve of calls going to cell phones. That does not mean it isn't possible, but in some cases, it does mean you and/or your loved one will get a run around and your loved one could face loss of privileges if it is later discovered it is a cell phone.Get your loved one to add the cell phone number to their approved phone list if this is necessary. Your loved one should know if this is required. The next step is determining who services the facility. Usually, it is CBS/Evercom or MCI. If it is CBS (Correctional Billing Services), simply call 800-844-6591 and request to set up a prepaid account on your phone number. It's usually a good idea to avoid mentioning that it is a cell phone. If asked who your phone provider/service is, you can simply answer you don't remember and they don't seem to press the matter.If it is MCI, it is much more difficult. MCI requires you fax a copy of the first page of your phone bill to them to set up an account, and since that page usually shows it as a cell phone, they simply will refuse to set it up. You can make the attempts, but be warned it will be difficult and may not succeed.Regardless of who the provider is, if your loved one has the option to purchase phone time (usually through commissary), they can purchase time to call your cell phone. This is a good option, especially if the facility is serviced by MCI. Another option that is often suggested is to forward your home phone (if you have one) to your cell. This is not recommendable because ALL DOC facilities consider it a security risk period, regardless of where you forward the call. You loved one can face serious disciplinary actions if discovered. OTHER IMPORTANT BITS TO REMEMBER!!!Because most DOC's frown on calls going to cell phones, it's suggestable to avoid noises or comments that indicate you are anywhere other than at home. (Overhead pagers in Walmart, turn signals while driving, your own horn, and straightforward statements that you are picking up a few things at the grocery store are a few examples.)Despite the calls being paid for with the facility, it still counts as cell phone minutes, so if you are using a prepaid cell, you are getting charges on both sides.
so basically u set up a prepaid account and give u'r loved one your cell # and it works the get threw how much do you have to pay up front.