BluePhone

BluePhone: receiving calls from UK prisons

BluePhone is a service that allows you to receive calls from UK prisons via a UK geographic 01/02 number assigned exclusively to each account. Incoming calls ring in the BluePhone app, available for iPhone and Android, over Wi-Fi or mobile data. It does not require an eSIM or an unlocked phone, and works both in the UK and abroad. The service is for incoming calls only: it does not allow outgoing calls or calling the prison back.

How the service works

The process begins when the user subscribes to the service and receives their 01/02 number, which in most cases is assigned automatically upon completing payment and sent by email. Then, the person in prison asks the prison to add that number to their approved phone list. The prison verifies the request and decides whether to approve it; approval times vary and cannot be guaranteed. Once approved, the inmate dials the number from the prison phone as if it were a UK landline, and the call rings in the user's app, which can be answered from the lock screen like a normal incoming call.

Rates and savings on call credit

The cost of the service is borne by the user: £15 per month or £149 per year (equivalent to £12.42 per month), with no setup fees and no minute limit from BluePhone. The inmate's call credit is separate and paid to the prison. According to the public rates of the prison sector in England and Wales in force since 1 April 2025, calls to a mobile are charged at 5.5 pence per minute on weekdays, while calls to a geographic 01/02 number are charged at 2.48 pence per minute, approximately 55% less. At weekends the rates are 3.6 and 2.2 pence respectively. BluePhone warns that the net saving depends on the frequency of calls and that other prisons or nations may apply different rates.

Availability and how the app works

The app is available for iPhone on the App Store and for Android on Google Play. Only one active device per account is allowed. Calls are received over the internet, with no additional international cost from BluePhone, although the user's mobile operator or data provider may apply roaming or data charges. The service does not forward calls to another mobile or landline: calls are delivered directly to the app associated with the account.

Limitations and prison control

BluePhone does not allow outgoing calls, callbacks or emergency calls. Approval of the number depends exclusively on each prison, which verifies each new number before adding it to the phone list. There is no guarantee of approval. Furthermore, from 11 August 2026 prisons must restrict numbers linked to call diversion and rerouting services, according to a policy that does not publicly define those terms. BluePhone cannot guarantee that a number will be accepted under this regulation.

Guides and resources for families

The BluePhone website includes informative guides on how prison phone calls work, published rates, how to get a number added to the phone list, what to do if calls stop coming through, and a comparison of different ways to receive calls (app, eSIM, forwarding or landline). It also offers a list of 26 questions users can ask any provider of similar services.