AirGATE Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the X-Change Corporation, has developed a VoIP add-on module for telephones in correctional facilities. Inmates make over 1,000,000 collect phone calls per day, and VoIP can provide greater efficiency and reduce costs.

Existing inmate telephones are not equipped with VoIP capability. Replacing the phones completely with VoIP enabled phone sets can be costly. AirGATE provides a cost effective way to upgrade these installed phones with VoIP modules. These modules come in two different versions: wired and wireless. Both of these modules are add-on units. The wired module requires power-over-Ethernet and the wireless module requires a power line capable of providing voltage and current to the units. The VoIP enabled telephones allow calls to be routed over local area networks and the Internet.

In addition to VoIP for inmate telephones, AirGATE has developed an inmate identification system for collect calls using radio frequency identification enabled wristbands. AirGATE plans to test the system for ninety days at the Franklin County correctional facility in Mt. Vernon, Texas. AirGATE will market its VoIP and inmate identification systems through established telephone service providers. AirGATE will receive a portion of collect call charges for use of its technology.