Phone Calls at George W. Hill Correctional Facility

What’s Confirmed and What Isn’t

Delaware County’s official page for George W. Hill confirms that tablets and digital messaging run through ViaPath, with families funding accounts through GettingOut. That’s a different, though related, system from a standard voice phone account. The specific vendor handling phone calls, and its per-minute rate, aren’t named on the county’s own site.

Given that ViaPath (formerly GTL) already runs the messaging and tablet system here, it’s reasonable to expect the same company family handles voice calls too, but this connection isn’t spelled out on delcopa.gov. Treat it as a starting point for your own call to the facility, not a confirmed fact.

Setting Up an Account

Since the exact phone vendor isn’t published, the most reliable step is calling George W. Hill directly at (610) 361-3200 and asking what’s needed to receive calls from someone in custody there. Have the incarcerated person’s full name and date of birth ready.

Digital Messaging Is a Separate, Confirmed System

If you want to send messages instead of talking by phone, ViaPath’s GettingOut platform is confirmed for tablets and digital communication. Create an account through the GettingOut website or mobile app and fund it to send messages.

Calls Are Almost Always Monitored

Whatever the exact phone system turns out to be, assume calls are monitored and recorded, standard practice at nearly every correctional facility, with the usual exception for properly registered attorney-client calls.

If a Call Doesn’t Go Through

Once you’ve confirmed the correct system and funded an account, common troubleshooting applies: check your balance, and confirm your phone carrier isn’t blocking calls from an unfamiliar number.

Alternatives to Phone Calls

Digital messaging through GettingOut is a confirmed option if voice calls aren’t panning out. Mail is also accepted, though it’s scanned and delivered digitally, see the mail and photos guide below.

How Calls Are Typically Structured

Whatever vendor handles George W. Hill’s voice calls, most correctional phone systems, including GTL/ViaPath’s, route calls as outbound only, meaning the incarcerated person calls you rather than you calling in. Getting your number cleared to receive calls usually means the person adds you to their approved contact list first.

Funding a GettingOut Account for the First Time

If you’re setting up GettingOut for the first time, have the incarcerated person’s full name and date of birth ready, along with a valid payment method. Keep your account login accessible, since you’ll need it again to add funds or check messages.

What Happens to Your Account Balance If They’re Transferred

If the person is transferred out of George W. Hill, ask the facility how a remaining phone or messaging balance is handled. A move into PA DOC state custody means switching to a different system entirely, since state prisons use Securus rather than ViaPath’s county-level products.

Removing a Number From the Approved List

If you no longer want calls or messages from the incarcerated person, this generally has to be handled by them removing you from their own approved contact list, rather than something you can undo on your end by blocking a number, since that may not stop the attempt from registering.

Why Confirming the Vendor Matters

Since the county’s official page doesn’t name the phone vendor outright, confirming it directly with the facility protects you from setting up an account with the wrong company, wasting a deposit, or missing calls because you assumed the wrong system.