Frustrating!! Distorted Noisy Phones!

[Jennifer030]

I am paying over ten bucks per 30 minutes and half of the time I have to ask, 'What did you say?'.  His voice is almost impossible to hear over the static and distortion.  This phone "service" would never be tolerated on the outside, they'd go broke!  How can this monopoly continue when so many people are all getting the shaft by using it? 

Consolidated gives me garbage for my money and if there were competition I'd switch in a heartbeat. 


Jennifer

[Dazzler]

It may not be in the service but rather the broken phones in a lot of prisons...they beat those things up pretty bad....and it takes a long time to get them repaired or replaced...And if there are storms in their area it doesn't help either....

[mserer]

No disrespect intended here Dazzler but are all of the phones broken? He tells me that he is trying to use different phones in hopes of finding one that sounds good but they are all equally horrible.  I thought is was just his facility! I find it interesting that other places are having this problem as well.

[Jennifer030]

In our case it is the phones in his house and also the phone in an area outside of his house.  One phone at his house is beyond using but will still take your money.  The second one will be fairly clear if he smacks it but if he forgets to the distortion becomes too bad to understand him very quickly.  The phone in the outside unit cut us off once, and one time I could hear him but he couldn't hear me.  But when it did work it was like having a regular phone conversation with him. 

Nobody in the real world would pay for this. 

Since we have no choice of service and want to try and hear our loved one's voices we must. 

Something is rotten in Denmark...

Jennifer

[BettyBlue]

I agree, I have the same problems trying to hear on the phones at J-ville. For the last few weeks I just keep asking, what did you say? I sometimes sounds like he is almost hollering to be understood. He does not like to do that either, likes to keep his calls somewhat private...........I would change in a minute, too. Where is your L/O at?

[Dazzler]

And don't forget that every phone in the IDOC used for inmate calls is hooked up to a listening device for the CO's and every conversation is tape recorded....so there's the potential for lots of static and other problems with all the equipment they've got on those phones...

[chadsangel4]

After hearing all the horror stories, I was weary about paying for phone calls from my LO.  I have talked to him twice and both times I was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of the call.  I hate it for those of you that are having problems.  I hope mine continue to do well and you guys' get better but I don't think it has anything to do with Consolidated.

[Courage]

The phones at East Moline are not good either. The 2 times I spoke with him I couldn't hear 1/2 of what he was saying and I kept asking him to repeat what he was saying. Very frustrating. He seems to think that it might be better on the land line so I am going to put money on that tomorrow and see if that helps the next time he calls.

[mserer]

My bf is at Clayton Work Camp via Western CC - the phones in both places are horrible.  I really thought it was due to the recording devices but it still sucks to pay so much for something that doesn't work - regardless of whose fault it is.

[TimeStandsStill]

There have been times that out of 4 phones in my LOs wing (at BMR) that only one was working.

[Crowe29]

My fiancee's at IRCC and in the 7 months he's been there, we've had more clear calls than not. One thing I noticed is that it also gets crowded in the day room where the phones are so a lot of the times i hear the other inmates hollerin' at at each other, plus i imagine it to be a large empty rm bc the acoustics are like my old hs gym! Usually my B makes a mad dash to the phone that is proven to have perfect, crystal clear sound and it seems like he's in the other room when we talk. But if he doesn't make it, or if I miss a call and he has to give the good phone to someone else, then we also have static and i find myself saying what? all the time. I know it's frustrating but it's all we got. We get around it by him talking slowly and enunciating, which helps a little. I'd rather hear every 3rd word from that man's mouth than not hear his voice at all...but that's just me.

[RMadrigal]

In Lawrence there is one of the phones that you will hear more static than the person on the other end and he just tries not to use that phone unless its the only one available....what I do get alot is me hearing myself because it echoes and that's annoying!! 

[Pamalynn]

My husband calls me from J'vlle every night. Sometimes he's quite clear other times not. We also have found that some of the phones work better than others. We have to remember that those phones are used by many people (100 inmates in J's wing), I'm sure they take a beating. I agree with Crowe I'd rather have a poor quality call from him, than no call. 

[chantygirl]

Most of the time when C calls, it's pretty clear.  There are occassions when he gets the bad phones and they cut out, or get some static if he sits the wrong way.  He's in Menard and only calls when they pass the phones, so he has no option as to which phone he gets.  Yeah, consolidated is expensive, but I honestly think it's the phones instead of the service.  Like others have said, those phones get A LOT of use, they're bound to have problems.  If your L/O can make a mad dash for the phones and get a good one, I say RUN!! 

[Crowe29]

Most of the time when C calls, it's pretty clear.  There are occassions when he gets the bad phones and they cut out, or get some static if he sits the wrong way.  He's in Menard and only calls when they pass the phones, so he has no option as to which phone he gets.  Yeah, consolidated is expensive, but I honestly think it's the phones instead of the service.  Like others have said, those phones get A LOT of use, they're bound to have problems.  If your L/O can make a mad dash for the phones and get a good one, I say RUN!! 

yup...that's what my B does...and every time when "we may begin speaking now" he's all out of breath! 

[Amanda.Marks]

My LO is in IRCC and we haven't had too many problems with the phone, other than as Crowe said, the day room (or whatever room he is in) is always very loud, and instead of me saying that i cant hear him, he can't hear me half of the time, thanks to the card players that are yelling! But I am just happy when I do get the chance to talk to him :)

[Jennifer030]

Consolidated is responsible for the phones and the quality of the calls.  I've complained to them over and over again.  They always say the have emailed the technician and will have them repair it. 

A.  I understand the phones take a beating.  So install ones which can take a beating.

B.  I want to hear his voice AND what he's saying.  I don't want to pay for anything less.

C.  Consolidated claims responsibility so why not tell them to clean up their act? 

Nothing will improve if everyone just lies down and accepts this paid service like it's a gift.  It isn't, and it should be worth the money that we spend trying to use it.

I am going to get an address to write to someone within that company and begin to let them know it's time to give me my money's worth.  When I get the address and name I will post it here so others can do the same thing.  Don't pay for garbage happily, demand what they say they are selling: communications.

Jennifer

[mserer]

I'm with you on this one Jennifer - thank you for taking a stand!

[Amanda.Marks]

Ironically today R called and the phones were messed up, he had to slam it down a few times and then it worked okay.

[Jennifer030]

I called Consolidated today and spoke with a supervisor.  I asked her for a name and and address so that I could write to someone in quality assurance and tell them about the terrible distortion.  The supervisor as of yesterday had listened to my call, heard the distortion and credited me with eight dollars.  She told me that she would personally contact the manager of the technicians responsible for those phones and see what could be done.  later, she left a message on my phone telling me that the manager said they were going to his unit TODAY to work on them. 

So the squeeky wheel gets the grease.  Now to see if they've done anything to improve the service when he calls this evening. 

Carrie is the name of the supervisor and she is quite capable, I think.  She advised that we try this approach first and wait to see what happens.  You can believe I will pursue this if necessary. 

Jennifer

[Courage]

Please keep us updated as to whether the phones get better or not. If so I will be contacting her too. Thanks for taking the lead on this. Hopefully the quality of our calls will get better.

[Jennifer030]

I have great news to report.  The technician did come and was working on the phone but was unhappy with the results.  He went out to his truck and brought back a brand new phone and tonights telephone conversation was as normal as could be.  No screaming, no banging, no "What?" "What did you say?", none of that. 

This has been worth pursuing. 

Jennifer

[Dazzler]

Like I said in the beginning...it's the phones...

[mserer]

Great job Jennifer! Regardless of the cause of the problem you've definately found a solution 

[Crowe29]

He didn't make it fast enough I guess and we got a bad phone..so I will be following Jennifer's lead and will report this to Consolidated. As much as I'm grateful to hear his voice at all, if there's something that can be done about it then why not do it right?

[rottiemama2003]

Please send them to Graham. They are needed, Jennifer it is your money and you have that right to fight for your money. Very good the squeaky wheel does get the oil.

[jcruz1104]

Dazz is right its the phones, its the same problem everywhere.  I always call CPS after and tell them the issue. and If I have to cut my call short becuz of I cant hear you or what ever I tell CPS and they are pretty good at giving me a credit.

Also at Vienna they put in new phones yesterday. I dont know if it was the whole facility, but atleast where my hubby is. He called it was so clear and nice to hear him!!

[Dazzler]

You have to understand the beating those phones take...you've got inmates on them constantly and they even beat the phones when they're ticked off at their caller......they are probably slammed down a dozen times a day....they're only plastic.  I don't know if the shouting also distorts them but many prisons are so noisy the inmates have to scream into the phones to be heard over the guy right next to him on another phone....eventually everything must loosen up inside and fall apart...   They do replace those phones regularily, but usually not unless someone from the prison complains or a LO complains.  Perhaps Consolidated is actually doing some type of routine maintenance and replacing them....and don't forget that Consolidated is a regular reader of IPT....bet you didn't know that?

[TimeStandsStill]

You just never know who (good or bad) may be reading at any time.  A good reminder that sometimes we need to be mindful as to what is posted on a public board when it comes to more personal issues.

[Dazzler]

Not that they show up often but we have IDOC staff and two wardens as members here....that's what the MO boards are for...

[mserer]

I think everyone acknowledges and respects the fact that this is a public forum and anyone can read it (it is, after all, the internet).  However, unless I missed something in this thread, I don't believe anyone said anything wrong or out of line.  Regardless of the cause of the phone issues (whether it is the equipment or some other problem) we are consumers paying a very high price for a service and we should be able to voice our opinion rather than lie down and take it simply because of our situation.  I for one, think that Jennifer did the right thing and I applaud her for thinking to stick up for herself.

[Dazzler]

I don't believe anyone has criticized Jennifer for what she did...I didn't see that anywhere either.  We're just commenting that sometimes Consolidated listens to our complaints right here on IPT and tries to solve the problems...

[jdmlt]

The second one will be fairly clear if he smacks it but if he forgets to the distortion becomes too bad to understand him very quickly. -
Jennifer

However, unless I missed something in this thread, I don't believe anyone said anything wrong or out of line. 

The comment about smacking the phone is what could be read and taken further with consequences to our LOs.

[sandybeaches]

My l/o is at Vienna.  We have had the same problem for 7 months.  I finally called the prison and they transferred me to the person responsible for the phone upkeep.  She informed me that in Vienna, the Consolidated technicians come through once a week and pick up any work orders for phones that aren't working properly.  My l/o had told the guard several times.  The guards are suppose to put in the work order.  They had not.  She put one in for the phone and within 24 hours the tech came and fixed the phone. 

I agree that we pay way too much to not be able to hear.  I also agree that I would rather hear from him with static then not at all.

At some point someone needs to speak up or nothing will ever change.  When I called Consolidated I reminded them that if the phone isn't working properly and cannot be used that they will be losing a lot of money.  In Vienna there is only one phone per wing.

[jdmlt]

A while back ago my son called from BMR. Two calls in a row where so bad that I had him hang up & call back. The third was fine.  I called CPS the next morning, advised them what happened. I also told her that "I always talk for 25-30 mins & she will be able to tell that." She stated "yes, she saw this and the calls in ? will be refunded." She told me credit for the 5 min. and the 3 min. call credited back.

[Jennifer030]

I am so thankful that I can clearly hear my loved one now.  Consolidated must be held accountable for the service they provide.  They replaced that miserable phone with one that is now working so they must be responsible for more than just taking our money.  I would encourage each of you who are paying through the nose for phone service to speak with them and get your issues resolved.  There is no sense in paying for something you're not receiving. 

Both we and our loved ones don't need any more frustrations heaped upon us than what we already have to deal with.  Hearing AND understanding him is priceless.

BTW, I sent him a Telephone Justice Petition and he gave it to his cellie for his family to fill with signatures.  They are also enjoying the new phone.  We need to link arms and work toward improving the lives of our incarcerated friends and family. 

Jennifer