Rowan County Detention Center Phone Calls. PayTel Setup and Rates

How Phone Calls Work

PayTel Communications handles all inmate phone calls at the Rowan County Detention Center. The system works in one direction: the person inside initiates outbound calls to phone numbers they have on their approved list. You cannot call into the facility to reach the person directly.

To receive calls, you need:

1. A PayTel account with your phone number registered
2. Funds on the account to cover the per-minute cost

The person inside uses the facility phones and enters the number they want to call. If your number is registered and there are funds available, the call connects.

Setting Up Your PayTel Account

1. Go to paytel.com.
2. Select “Set Up an Account” or the equivalent option on the site.
3. Enter your phone number and personal information.
4. Add funds to your account using a credit or debit card.
5. Your number is now registered to receive calls.

Once set up, the person inside can add your number to their approved call list. Depending on facility policy, numbers may need to go through an approval or verification step before calls are allowed.

Rates

PayTel does not publish a fixed rate on this page because rates can change. Go to paytel.com for current per-minute pricing for calls from the Rowan County Detention Center. Rates vary based on call type and distance.

Adding Funds to the Account

Add funds at paytel.com using a credit or debit card. Funds in the PayTel account go toward covering the per-minute cost of calls. If the account runs low, the call may be cut short or new calls may not connect until you add more funds.

The person inside can also use their Inmate Canteen account balance toward phone calls, depending on how the facility routes payments between the two systems. Contact PayTel for details specific to your situation.

Call Recording and Monitoring

All calls at the Rowan County Detention Center are recorded and monitored. Do not say anything on a call that you would not want staff or law enforcement to hear. Calls to approved legal counsel may be treated differently under attorney-client privilege, but standard inmate calls to family and friends are recorded.

Approved Call List

The person inside must have your number on their approved call list before they can dial you. If you are not receiving calls, confirm with the person that your number was entered correctly and that it has been approved. Some facilities require a waiting period before a new number is cleared.

If Calls Are Not Going Through

If you are not receiving calls from the person:

1. Confirm the number registered in your PayTel account matches the number the person is trying to call.
2. Check that your account has available funds.
3. Ask the person inside to confirm your number is on their approved list.
4. Contact PayTel support through paytel.com for account or billing issues.
5. Call the main jail at (704) 216-8770 if the issue may be on the facility side.

International Calls

If you need to receive calls at an international number, contact PayTel at paytel.com to ask about international call options and whether they are available for this facility.

Video Visits as an Alternative

If phone calls are not working or you want a face-to-face connection, video visits through HomeWav are another option. On-site video visits at the Annex are free. Remote video visits from home cost $0.30 per minute and are available Sunday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. See the visitation guide for setup details.

Mail as a Backup

If phone contact is interrupted for any reason, physical mail remains a reliable way to stay in touch. See the mail guide for address and rules.