Global Tel Link Consumer Reviews - Page 4

LOVELAND, COLORADO -- First of all they changed the cutoff amount on my account from $100.00 to $50.00 with no explanation. I (for years) have paid every bill they have sent me. There is no way to speak to anyone at GTL. The automated phone system cuts you off after it gives you your account information. It cuts you off no matter what information you are seeking or what situation you are trying to improve. If you have a credit they will still cut off your ability to receive phone calls if you do not have contact with them during that billing period. HOW ARE YOU OVERDUE ON A CREDIT?!?

I want to pay not only my monthly bill but also my daughter's so that we may both receive calls. Do you think there is any way to do this? NO WAY! You would think they would want to receive payments but they make it impossible. I gave my credit card information to my daughter so that she could make an online payment and it was denied. I tried to call to do it over the phone, pay both of our bills but could not. I also tried to do it online but that wouldn't work either. When they switched over I had a credit to my account. My grandson was unable to call for almost 3 months due to GTL's screw up. He is in a JUVENILE facility, just a kid!

Why can't they get their ** together? Why can't you speak with anyone? Why can't our limit be pushed back up to $100.00 per month so we don't have to go through this ** every month? They are so behind on their account maintenance that even if you are on time with your payments and under your limit you still may be unable to receive calls. During the time my grandson has been incarcerated (in another state) my daughter and I have had to do this dance with at least 6 different carriers. CAN'T ANYONE GET THIS RIGHT?!?

I would greatly appreciate it if GTL would provide customer service representatives TO TALK TO. It would also be great if they would review the accounts of their clients and up the credit limits of those who have proven to continuously and consistently pay their bills.

For over 12 years now I have worked in the telecommunications industry and am shocked that a company such as this has and continues to provide poor service and incorrect billing with no intervention from either Public Utility Commissions (which I can understand as the state is benefiting from these fees) or the FCC.

I was appalled by the outrageous fees and per minute charges (a 10 to 12-minute evening calls costs $25.00) but the other night took the cake. I prepaid by credit card $50.00 and was on the phone all of five minutes (I verified the time on my phone), was disconnected. They called back, I received a recording indicating all funds were gone. I put an additional $50.00 on the account again...received message again that my credit card was successfully processed and verified that online and I accepted the call and was immediately disconnected. They called a third time and received same message.

My credit card was charged a total of $150.00 for one call totaling five minutes. I have spent several hours trying to get this resolved with their Customer Service but to-date have gotten nowhere with them. I guess that will teach me to complain about the cost of my prior calls. While I understand the PUCs for the states have turned a blind eye as this is a revenue generating service for the state, I do not understand why so little is done by the FCC.

Other phone service providers, if they provided the same quality of service and value, would have their hands slapped and fined. I feel that they are taking advantage of families who have loved ones who are either detainees awaiting trial or prisoners who are struggling as it is. I know that other prepaid collect calls would not cost as much as the same call would from prison and I think something should be done about it and that more oversight should be provide...

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- I think it made me feel a little better just knowing I am not alone! I read a lot of the complaints and I can relate to all of them! Why is there not one person to handle these complaints, not one person to talk to, nothing. I feel that this company should be shut down and or make some serious changes and fast, before they ruin lives! I HATE THEM!

I am a business owner myself, a great person, and sure as hell pay my phone bill! I have been a mess because of GlobalTel - I have been on the stupid phone 7 times in a week, have been disconnected half of them and told about 6 different answers! And to some of the other customers that have been basically screwed from another company who has employed a bunch of jack and has NO customer relations whatsoever, I'm right along with you in all your complaints and can relate to every single one of them!

I, most of all want to say, my loved one that is in a facility thinks I put a block on my phone! Nothing hurts more than that! And there is no way for our loved ones to find out the situation of these phone calls and this ** up company! And basically the abuse we are taking from GlobalTel - I am going to do something about this! But for now the last call I had with GlobalTel, well they told me to fax over my home phone bill! What is this going to solve ? Who knows.

Oh by the way, not that it is any person's business, but I did not like the feedback I got from a reader, so I will also address you - the complaints that you read have to do with inmates loved ones that are paying for these calls! And NO my loved one is not in prison for parking tickets!

He is in prison for 6 months because of me, he needed help with a drinking and drug problem that arose very fast, and frankly it was caused from depression due must likely to the economy! And has never ever been there before! So before insulting anyone or judging anyone, take a step back and look around. We all have situations, some we bring on ourselves and sometimes they are bought on by others! God bless you!

GTL is by far the worst company to ever exist. It is so unfair that they run the monopoly to the entire phone service to all of the prisons in the U.S.A. that they can treat people as poorly as they want and get away with it. First off, I live 2 hours away from the prison however I live in Canada and thus to collect one 20 minute phone call costs $25.37.

GTL only allows you to add $25 or $50 intervals on your credit card and for every $25 you add, they will take off a $5 processing fee. So if you pay $25, that means you only have $20 on the line and you don't have enough to even collect the call. So you add another $25 and another $5 comes off. Now if you get one of their "3 way incoming calls" they will disconnect your call and take your money! I don't even have 3 way calling and this has happened to me twice!

I've called customer service over and over and no one ever returns my calls. One time, I got really frustrated with the person working and they are all very rude people and so they put a block on my account for 1 week because I was rude! I didn't even swear at this person. I was frustrated but that is ridiculous! Plus, you can build a debt on your pre-paid account. I have never heard of this before, from my knowledge pre-paid means you pay for the service up front and when your time runs out, your call gets disconnected. Not according to GTL, in addition to taxes, fees and "charges" you can develop a debt that goes above and beyond your pre-paid account.

If there is ANY way to avoid this company do it!!! They are awful and depending on whom you talk to determines how much help you will get. The people who own and run this company are just as criminal (if not more) as the people they are trying to connect!

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA -- There is got to be a way to stop this monopoly, having just one provider to be able to communicate with your loved ones who are incarcerated. It is terrible what they are doing right in your face. I deposit $50 dollars and the first calls they deduct $8.00 just for transaction fees. Spoke to my son for 2 minutes. When he called me again the next day, I only had $30 dollars?? $12 dollars for 2 minutes? Also when you start talking, they will interrupt the call saying that a conference call was intercepted and of course when you get the call again, they charge you the transaction fee.

I have been monitoring them and already sent a complaint to some authorities because someone is making big buck off of us, we must do something ASAP. That's why I called this an "armed robbery" - they do it and no one is doing anything about it. My son has been in jail since June 26, 2013 and I have spent over $300 in those 4 weeks. Something has to be done.

On 5/6/13 I called the GTL to re-collect calls from my kids' dad from MCI-H in Hagerstown Md. He has made several attempts to call, each time the call is disconnected. I called CS at 866 230 7761, spoke with 2 NASTY, RUDE, IGNORANT ASS REPS (**). I had to go into PRAYER so I wouldn't lose my temper because of their nasty attitudes.

"Dear Heavenly Father, I place Global Tel Link into your hands, they are ripping & scamming your people who work hard for their money. Father I ask you RIGHT NOW that you go into the hearts & minds of anyone associated with Global Tel Link. Father God, convict the hearts & spirits for taking advantage of YOUR PEOPLE who need that contact with their loved ones who are incarcerated Global Tel Link is not providing that service to them Lord Jesus.

Heavenly Father I know you have all POWER, your word say to bring my burdens to you because you have ALL POWER to change the hearts & minds of people that is beyond my control, in the name of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, REVEAL Global Tel Link for the FRAUD & SCAMMERS that they are, in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ AMEN!" Anyone who sees this post, please pray this prayer if you agree this company has FAILED you as well.

LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA -- Global Tel is a money-making scheme for the company itself, as well as the correctional facility who must require this service. Most of us with loved ones incarcerated are not wealthy, but the above two mentioned take total advantage of our situation, making this the only way to have phone contact with our jailed loved ones.

Why are they charging outrageous amounts for calls, so-called service fees, as well as taking money from my account that are not applied to calls that go through? I am being charged for calls that I do not answer. And forget about customer service, I was treated like a piece of crap, told calls were made that weren't, and basically called a liar. And so what - you can't do anything about it, you have no other choice.

OKLAHOMA -- My spouse is an inmate at Hillside Correctional in Oklahoma City. Every time I place more money on my account, the recording tells me it is now connecting my call, which it does not. I get disconnected every time and charged for the call. I finally managed to talk with a live person about this, and was told it would take seven business days to get a reply. I haven't heard anything since.

This has been an ongoing problem, and the company does not seem to care. I am sick of being charged for a call that I don't get to use. I was also informed that Global cannot credit my phone back the charges because it is a cell phone. I have heard that other inmates have experienced the same problem, but do not know that for a fact. I guess my next step is to call the Better Business Bureau. I wish to add that the rate this company charges is absurd. I wish I could list my true feelings about Global in this letter, but the language is not printable.

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE -- This company is a RIP OFF! Try calling the customer service number, I'm sure you will be on hold for at least a half hour. The rates is outrageous. What's up with you can only pay $25 or $50? Well if you speak to a representative to make your payment, you can tell him/her that you want to add any amount and they have to add those funds, no more no less. They will try to convince you otherwise but trust me, I have on more than one occasion added anywhere from $10, $15 or even $30 when I make a payment with a live person.

I have been having a lot of issues with dropped calls. Usually a recording will come on saying "This call is being terminated due to 3-way calls" even though I don't even use the 3-way. They won't give you a refund if you're using a cellphone because they claim that there is no way of knowing why the call got disconnected. Also if you use a debit card to make payments, they do have an issue with you using more than one card to make a payment or having your loved on make excessive calls throughout the day. They like to call this OVER USAGE.

Come on GTL this is called a PREPAID calling system. My loved one should be able to call as much as I am willing to pay and I should be able to fund my account as much as I would like to. It's not like they are losing money, all fees is paid UPFRONT.

Global Tel Link are crooks and apparently not aware of how to run a business. This collect service allows you to place 25$ or 50$ on an account and connects you. What they don't tell you is that from that set amount 4.75$ will be taken from that (that's their fee), which isn't explained to you in their recording. Then there is a 2$ and something fee for every 30 mins. or less.

Wait it gets better - there is also a tax added to the amount. Furthermore if an inmate calls you and you don't pick up, and they hang up and call you right back, Global Tel Link charges your account as if you answered. Keep in mind that the recording tells you to accept a call, you have to press 4. Not only are they charging you all types of hidden fees for using their service, they charge you if you don't pick up.