Reviewed August 2026 — the regulations described on this page remain current.
In June 2023, Corrective Services NSW introduced new regulations governing how inmates use the Offenders Telephone System (OTS) — the phone system in every NSW correctional centre. This page explains the rules in plain language, what they mean for families, and how to stay connected without breaking them.
The Rules at a Glance
Approved numbers only
An inmate can only call numbers approved on their PAN (Personal Approved Numbers) list. Approval is managed by each prison, and a number can be refused or removed at the facility’s discretion.
No VoIP or app-based services
The 2023 regulations restrict third-party call management services that rely on VoIP, apps or internet calling.
No call diversion
A call must connect to its registered destination. Diverting or forwarding calls is prohibited, and services caught diverting are cancelled.
One fixed answering location
The place a number answers must be fixed at activation and cannot change afterwards.
No 3-way or conference calls
Adding third parties to a call is prohibited.
What Calls Cost From a NSW Prison
Calls from the OTS to a local number are $0.25 per call. Calls to mobiles are charged at much higher per-minute rates, which is why a compliant local number is the most affordable way for families to stay in touch. Our service is $39.00 per month with unlimited calling.
How a Compliant Local Number Service Works
A compliant service gives you a fixed local number allocated to the region of the prison. The number is a Full Network Number (a real fixed line, not VoIP), answers at one nominated location that cannot change after activation, cannot be diverted, and blocks conference calling. Your loved one submits the number for PAN list approval, and once approved they dial it from the prison phone like any local call. That is exactly how NSW Prison Calling is engineered.
Official Sources
The rules are set and enforced by Corrective Services NSW. You can also read the Corrective Services letter regarding compliant telephone services. We are an independent telecommunications provider and are not associated with or endorsed by NSW Corrections.
The 2023 regulations restrict VoIP-based and diverting call services. Families searching for an engine number, jail engine or prison engine number for a NSW correctional centre should make sure any service they choose meets the OTS requirements: a fixed line, a fixed answering location, no VoIP and no diversion. NSW Prison Calling was designed specifically around these rules.
Yes, if the mobile number is approved on their PAN list — but mobile calls are charged at significantly higher rates than the $0.25 local call rate, which is why most families use a local number instead.
Numbers can be removed from PAN lists and services are cancelled. Diversion, conference calling and misuse put your service — and your loved one’s calling privileges — at risk. Using a compliant service protects both.