ViaPath Technologies is the company you may still know as GTL or Global Tel*Link. Alongside Securus, it's one of the two giants of prison and jail communications. If your loved one's facility runs on ViaPath, you'll meet its services under three brand names — and knowing which one does what saves a lot of confusion (and misdirected money).
From GTL to ViaPath
GTL rebranded as ViaPath Technologies on January 4, 2022, to reflect a stated shift toward reentry services and lower-cost communication. The company is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, and serves well over a million incarcerated people across North America. The brands you'll actually use day to day are ConnectNetwork and GettingOut.
The three ViaPath platforms
- Phone calls (AdvancePay). Prepaid calling accounts so you can receive calls. Managed through ConnectNetwork.
- ConnectNetwork. The money and phone hub — fund AdvancePay calling, deposit to an inmate's trust account, and add PIN debit funds.
- GettingOut. The tablet side — text messaging, photos, video clips, eCards, and scheduled video visits.
This split trips up a lot of families: ConnectNetwork handles calling and trust deposits; GettingOut handles tablet messaging and video visits. Putting money in the wrong one is the most common mistake, so match the service to what you actually want to do.
How to get started
- To receive calls, create an AdvancePay account at connectnetwork.com or by phone at 800-483-8314, and add funds.
- To message or video chat, download the free GettingOut app, create an account, click the activation link in your email, and add your loved one as a contact.
- To send commissary money, make a trust account deposit through ConnectNetwork.
- For help with a payment or account, reach ViaPath Customer Care at 877-650-4249.
What it costs
ViaPath's phone rates, like all providers', dropped under the FCC's Martha Wright-Reed rate caps that took effect April 6, 2026 (roughly $0.06–$0.09 per minute plus a small additive at most prisons and larger jails, with the old facility "site commissions" now banned). Tablet messaging, video visits, and deposits carry their own per-message, per-minute, and per-transaction fees set facility by facility. ViaPath has publicized free baseline communication programs at some sites, but availability varies — always confirm for your specific facility.
Tips
- Use the "Find Your Facility" tool on ConnectNetwork to confirm which services are active where your loved one is held.
- Fund directly through ViaPath and in larger, less frequent amounts to reduce per-deposit fees.
- All calls and messages are monitored and screened; keep legal matters off recorded channels.
Related reading
ViaPath's services span calling, money, and messaging, so it shows up in several of our guides. See the deep dives on ConnectNetwork and GettingOut, compare it with Securus in our provider directory, and learn how our discounted phone calls service can cut your per-minute rate further.
Other phone & video call providers
- Securus Technologies — One of the two largest prison-telecom companies. Here's what Securus runs, what it costs under the new FCC caps, and how to set up an account.
- ICSolutions — A TKC Holdings company behind 'The Visitor' video visitation. How to register, schedule, and fund a visit.
- NCIC Inmate Communications — A Texas-based provider known for lower county-jail call rates. What NCIC charges and how to open a prepaid account.
- Pay Tel Communications — A jail-focused provider behind the Pay Tel Connect app and inteleVISIT. How to set up an account and stay connected.
- HomeWAV — An inmate-initiated video platform — your loved one starts the call when you're online. How to set it up and what it costs.
See the full directory of inmate service providers for every phone, video, money, messaging, and care-package company.