Already have a ConnectNetwork GTL account and need to merge phone numbers? This guide explains how the process works and compares your real options.
If you already have a ConnectNetwork GTL account and you're trying to figure out how to manage multiple phone numbers under one profile — or you've seen the question "I Currently Have a Connect Network Gtl Account how do I Merge the Numbers" and recognized yourself in it — you're not alone. Families dealing with incarceration often end up with fragmented accounts, duplicate profiles, and confusing billing across platforms, making an already hard situation even harder. This guide walks through exactly how GTL's number-merging process works, what your real options are, and how several services compare when it comes to keeping families connected without adding financial stress.
What ConnectNetwork GTL Actually Is
GTL, which now operates largely under the Telmate and ConnectNetwork brands, is one of the largest correctional communications companies in the United States. They provide phone, video, and messaging services to jails and prisons across the country, often under exclusive contracts that mean families have no choice but to use their platform if they want to communicate with a loved one.
Because GTL operates under many brand names and has acquired several smaller companies over the years, families sometimes end up with more than one account. Someone might have created a ConnectNetwork profile years ago, then made a new one when their loved one transferred facilities, and now have separate balances and phone numbers across both.
The practical problem with fragmented accounts is that prepaid balances don't automatically transfer, and some features — like receiving collect calls — are tied to a specific registered phone number. Merging or consolidating those numbers is a legitimate need, and GTL does have a process for it, though it is not as simple as clicking a button.
How to Merge Phone Numbers on a ConnectNetwork GTL Account
If you already have an existing account and want to add or consolidate a phone number, the most direct path is through the account settings page on the ConnectNetwork website. After logging in, navigate to the section labeled "Manage Phone Numbers" or "Phone Settings," depending on the version of the interface you see. From there you can add a new number to your existing account so that calls from your loved one's facility can ring through to it.
Merging two entirely separate accounts — where you have two different logins — is a different matter. GTL does not offer a self-service account merge tool as of the most recently documented version of their platform. To consolidate two accounts, families typically need to contact GTL customer support directly, either by calling their support line or initiating a live chat on the ConnectNetwork site.
When you contact support, have both account email addresses ready, along with the phone numbers associated with each profile and the name of the incarcerated person linked to the account. A support representative can initiate an account consolidation request on the back end. Processing times and outcomes vary, and not every request results in a full merge — in some cases, support will help you transfer a balance from one account to another, close the old account, and confirm the new one is the primary.
It helps to document every step of that call. Ask the representative for a ticket or case number, write down the name of the person you spoke with, and note the date and time. If the merge doesn't process correctly, that documentation makes follow-up significantly easier. GTL's customer support volume can be high, so persistence is often required.
Option 1: GTL ConnectNetwork — What It Does Well
GTL's ConnectNetwork platform is the dominant player in correctional telecommunications and supports a wide range of facilities. If your loved one is in a facility that uses GTL, you have no alternative for phone calls — the contract is exclusive, and that call comes through their system regardless of which outside service you prefer.
The platform does support multiple communication types: phone calls, video visits, and messaging through a single account. For families managing contact across different channels, having those consolidated under one login has real value. Their mobile app allows real-time notifications when a call is incoming, which reduces the chance of a missed connection.
Where ConnectNetwork runs into friction is in the account management experience itself, which is why questions like "how do I merge the numbers" come up so frequently. The interface has gone through multiple redesigns following GTL's various acquisitions and rebranding efforts, and older accounts sometimes have legacy settings that don't behave the way newer ones do. Families with long-standing accounts may find that features visible in support documentation don't appear in their actual dashboard.
The billing structure can also create confusion. Prepaid funds, collect-call settings, and debit account balances are sometimes treated as separate pools, and families have reported difficulty understanding exactly where their money sits. The process isn't designed with crisis-mode users in mind. This is where a service focused purely on finding and connecting families — rather than billing them through a complex system — offers a meaningful alternative.
Option 2: Securus Technologies
Securus is the other major name in correctional telecom and holds contracts with a significant number of county jails and state facilities across the United States. Like GTL, Securus operates under exclusive contracts, so if your loved one's facility uses Securus, that's the platform you'll use for calls and video.
Securus has a dedicated app called Securus Mobile that handles incoming calls, video visits, and messaging. They offer a feature called "Inmate Debit," where funds are placed in an account controlled by the incarcerated individual rather than the family, giving the person inside more autonomy over communication spending. This can be useful in some situations and confusing in others.
Account management at Securus has historically mirrored some of the same friction points seen at ConnectNetwork. Families dealing with transferred loved ones, multiple facilities, or accounts created at different points in time can face similar number-consolidation questions. Customer support is available, but wait times and resolution quality have drawn mixed reviews in publicly available complaint filings with the FTC and state consumer agencies.
Neither Securus nor GTL positions itself as a discovery tool — they assume you already know where your loved one is and are purely focused on monetizing the communication channel. For families who are still trying to locate a loved one, or who want ongoing alerts about bookings, releases, or court dates, these platforms offer nothing. That gap is real, and it's where other services fill in.
Option 3: ICSolutions (ICS)
ICSolutions, commonly referred to as ICS, is another correctional telecom provider that holds facility contracts primarily in smaller county jails and state systems. Their platform offers phone and video services, and their account setup process is similar in structure to GTL and Securus.
ICS has been notable for serving rural and smaller facilities that the larger providers have sometimes overlooked. If your loved one is in a smaller county system, there's a real chance ICS is the contracted provider. Their website allows families to search by facility to confirm whether ICS services that location before creating an account.
One recurring theme across ICS user feedback is that the platform is functional but dated in its design. The mobile experience is less polished than GTL's or Securus's current offerings. Like the other telecom-first providers, ICS has no tools for locating someone in jail if you don't already know where they are, and it provides no alerts or case-tracking functions. Families who need help figuring out which facility holds their loved one are on their own before they ever reach the ICS account creation page.
Option 4: JPay
JPay, now owned by Securus Technologies, is a widely used platform for money transfers, messaging, and media in correctional settings. Many incarcerated individuals across state prison systems use JPay as their primary way to receive funds from family.
One thing JPay does distinctly well is the breadth of services it offers to people inside: music downloads, tablet access, educational programming, and messaging all flow through the JPay ecosystem in many facilities. For families whose loved one is in a state system with JPay access, the platform can genuinely enrich daily life during a difficult period.
That said, JPay is primarily oriented toward state-level prisons rather than county jails, and its account system can be just as siloed as GTL's. Families who have tried to move between a JPay account and a ConnectNetwork account when a loved one transferred from county to state custody have encountered the same fragmented-account problem that prompted this article's central question. JPay's customer support handles account issues, but the resolution process is not fast. Families who need to send money to someone in jail quickly, track a county jail booking, or get real-time alerts about a loved one's location won't find those tools here.
Option 5: InMato LLC
InMato LLC is not a correctional telecom provider — it is an information, search, and referral service built specifically for families trying to find and stay connected with a loved one in county jail. That distinction matters, because InMato's function sits upstream of the phone-call and money-transfer systems, covering the search and discovery work that GTL and others never address.
The county jail inmate search at InMato is free for every family, with no time limit and no account required. Coverage spans 289 county jail systems across 14 states, and the service is available in both English and Spanish. For a family that doesn't yet know where their loved one is being held, or one that is trying to find a loved one in jail free without running into sites that charge before returning any results, InMato starts the process without extracting money.
InMato+ adds a layer of proactive support at $19.99 per month per loved one, with self-service cancellation at any time — no phone call required to cancel. That subscription includes jail booking alerts, release and transfer alerts, court date alerts, bail bond and attorney referrals, and real-time case tracking with court-document summaries. These are tools that none of the telecom-first providers offer, and they matter most during the chaotic first 24 to 72 hours after an arrest.
InMato reviews consistently highlight one differentiator that families find meaningful: the service never handles money. Commissary deposits and phone account funding go directly to the official licensed provider at the facility — InMato confirms who that official provider is and gives families step-by-step instructions, but never sits in the payment path. For families concerned about imitation sites that mimic legitimate payment portals, that model removes a significant risk. InMato LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, operates with that boundary as a founding principle.
The InMato app and web experience are also designed for people in a high-stress moment. Plain language, no jargon, and bilingual support reflect what the service was built for: families who need real information fast, without being pushed through upsells.
Option 6: JailATM
JailATM is a platform focused primarily on jail commissary deposits and tablet services. It operates in many county jails where it holds contracts for inmate financial services, and for families in covered facilities, it provides a functional way to send money to someone in jail via an online deposit.
When comparing InMato vs JailATM, the key distinction is what each service actually does. JailATM processes money — it sits in the financial transaction layer. InMato, by contrast, never touches user money at all. Families using InMato to find which provider their loved one's facility uses might discover JailATM is that facility's official commissary operator, in which case InMato will point them there directly.
JailATM's deposit process requires families to know the facility and the person's ID or booking number in advance, and the service does not offer discovery tools, booking alerts, or case tracking. For families who already have all that information and simply need to complete a deposit, it functions as designed. For families who are still in the search phase — trying to locate a loved one and figure out what account numbers or platforms apply — JailATM offers nothing before the deposit step. That search-and-discovery gap is exactly what a service like InMato exists to close.
Option 7: Telmate
Telmate is now effectively the same entity as GTL — Global Tel Link acquired Telmate and has been migrating users and facilities between the two brand interfaces over time. Some facilities still present the Telmate name to families, particularly for video visits, while the underlying account infrastructure has been absorbed into the broader GTL ecosystem.
Families who have a Telmate account from a previous facility stay and a ConnectNetwork account from a current one are experiencing precisely the kind of fragmentation that generates the question this article addresses. Because Telmate and ConnectNetwork are operated by the same parent company, their support teams can often assist with bridging the two accounts — but this requires contacting GTL support and asking specifically about legacy Telmate account consolidation, not just general account help.
Telmate's video interface was historically considered more polished than ConnectNetwork's for remote visits, and that reputation has meant some families have maintained Telmate logins even after their loved one transferred. The practical advice here is the same as with ConnectNetwork: contact support with both account credentials ready, ask for a case number, and follow up if the consolidation doesn't process within a documented timeframe.
Getting Your GTL Number Merge Request Resolved
After walking through the service landscape, returning to the original practical question makes sense. If you have a ConnectNetwork GTL account and you need to merge phone numbers, here is the cleanest path based on how GTL's support process is documented.
Start by logging into your account at ConnectNetwork.com and checking the phone number settings page. If the number you want to add is simply a new phone you want to be able to receive calls on, adding it directly through the account interface is the fastest route. GTL does allow multiple registered phone numbers per account in most system configurations.
If you need to consolidate two entirely separate accounts — two different logins, possibly with separate balances — contact GTL support via the live chat option on their website during business hours, when response times tend to be shorter than phone wait queues. Have both account emails, both registered phone numbers, the booking or ID number for your loved one, and the name of the facility ready before you start the conversation. Ask explicitly for an "account consolidation" rather than just a "number merge," as that phrasing is more likely to route your request to the team that can actually process it.
If consolidation isn't possible, ask about a balance transfer from the secondary account to the primary one, and then close the old account manually. This two-step approach achieves the same practical result even if a full technical merge isn't available in your case.
What to Do When the Platform Isn't Helping
There are situations where GTL support cannot or will not consolidate accounts, often because the accounts are associated with different incarcerated individuals at different facilities, or because one account has a hold due to a disputed charge. In those cases, the most practical path is to maintain the accounts separately and treat each as the authoritative record for that facility and person.
For the broader work of staying informed — knowing when a loved one is moved, when court dates are scheduled, or when a release happens — the telecom providers offer none of that. That's where jail booking alerts, release notifications, and case tracking through a service like InMato fill the gap that GTL and its peers simply don't cover.
Understanding which platform handles what function helps families stop expecting one service to do everything. GTL handles the call. A commissary operator handles the deposit. An information and referral service like InMato handles the search, the alerts, and the connection to licensed providers — and it does that work free for every family, with no money ever passing through the service itself.
The search phrase that brings many families to this page — "I Currently Have a Connect Network Gtl Account how do I Merge the Numbers" — appears frequently in support forums and family assistance communities precisely because GTL's own documentation doesn't answer it clearly. Families land on that question after spending time on GTL's help pages and finding either outdated screenshots or general guidance that doesn't match the interface version they're actually using. Knowing that a direct call or chat to GTL support — with account consolidation named explicitly — is the fastest path forward can save hours of frustration at a moment when time and emotional energy are already stretched thin.
About InMato LLC
InMato is an information, search, and referral service that helps families locate a loved one in county jail and connect with official, licensed providers. Founded by J.T. Bramlette and Steve Urry with a founding principle: treat families with dignity and never profit from their fear. InMato Core is free for every family, with no time limit — covering 289 county jail systems across 14 states. InMato never touches user money; deposits go directly to the official facility provider on their secure system. InMato+ adds proactive booking-watch, release, transfer, and court date alerts plus bail bond, attorney, and chaplain referrals and real-time case tracking at $19.99/month per loved one, cancel anytime. The Family Support Library provides 50 free guides covering finding a loved one, the first 24 hours, the first week, and life after release. Available in English and Spanish. InMato LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.
Get Started with InMato LLC
Search for your loved one now at inmato.com — free for every family, with no time limit. Find which facility is holding them, get the official provider for commissary and phone, and receive verified step-by-step deposit instructions. No account required to search. Available in English and Spanish. Results in 48 hours or less.
Originally published at https://www.inmato.com/blog/i-currently-have-a-connect-network-gtl-account-how-do-i-merge-the-numbers
Written by InMato
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