Pelican Bay State Prison Phone Calls

Voice Calls Are Free

Since January 1, 2023, CDCR has made all outgoing audio phone calls free for both incarcerated people and the families and friends they call. There’s no per-minute charge to worry about. Calls are limited to 15 minutes each, and it’s up to the incarcerated person to place the call. You can give them a number to call, but you can’t call in to them directly.

Pelican Bay’s Current Tablet Provider: ViaPath

CDCR awarded a new statewide telecommunications contract to Securus Technologies in February 2025, after a court ruling vacated the prior contract with ViaPath Technologies. CDCR is rolling out the switch institution by institution instead of all at once. As of this guide’s last verification date, Pelican Bay has not yet transitioned, so families should continue using ViaPath at securustech.net’s predecessor platform, ViaPath, for video calls, e-messages, and other tablet features.

When Pelican Bay Is Scheduled to Transition

CDCR’s published rollout schedule (as of June 4, 2026) lists Pelican Bay’s phone system transitioning to Securus on August 3, 2026, with tablets following August 4 through August 7. CDCR notes these dates are tentative and could change, so if you’re reading this close to or after that window, call the institution at (707) 465-1000 to confirm which platform is currently active before assuming either provider.

What Changes Once the Transition Happens

Once Pelican Bay switches, families will need to sign up with Securus at securustech.net/cdcr for video calls, e-messages, and tablet features. Securus offers lower per-minute costs on video calls and e-messages compared to ViaPath’s old rates, along with more free video minutes and e-messages included each month.

Content Won’t Transfer When the Switch Happens

When Pelican Bay does transition, photos, e-messages, and other media on the ViaPath tablets won’t carry over to the new Securus tablets. Anyone who wants to keep copies of anything from their ViaPath tablet needs to print it from the tablet or a kiosk before the facility’s transition date. Family members cannot request these prints on the incarcerated person’s behalf.

Refunds and Balances After the Transition

Once transitioned, anyone with an unused ViaPath balance can request a refund through ViaPath’s call center. Any balance on the incarcerated person’s side is refunded automatically to their trust account.

If You Have Trouble

For current account or billing questions, contact whichever provider is active at Pelican Bay at the time (ViaPath, or Securus once the switch happens). CDCR posts major outage notices on its website if there’s a service interruption during the transition period.