Uniting Hearts: Telio from Hamburg Empowers Family Ties within Portugal’s Correctional Facilities

Hamburg, Germany, February 20, 2024

The Hamburg-based Telio Group, a worldwide leading provider of telecommunications services to the correctional industry, continues its global expansion in its 26th year of existence. A significant milestone has now been reached with the introduction of telephony in 49 prisons in Portugal.

From now on, in the westernmost EU country, 12,000 inmates can communicate individually, within a secured framework directly from their cells. With the introduction of telephony into the cells, the most important connection to the outside world is strengthened, which significantly contributes to the psychological well-being of the inmates.

“This turning point marks a significant step towards humane penal policy and underscores our commitment to enabling inmates to reintegrate into a life without crime,” explains Oliver Drews, CEO of the Telio Group.

In 2016, Drews presented the concept of prison telephony to the Portuguese Ministry of Justice. The subsequent pilot project, which started in a selected prison in 2019, was enthusiastically received from the outset. The positive results and the noticeable benefits for the inmates as well as for the correctional staff confirmed the relevance of comprehensive implementation.

With the latest success, winning the European tender for prison telephony for all prisons in Portugal, Telio outperformed its European competitors. This victory is not only proof of Telio’s technological superiority but also of the trust that customers place in the quality and reliability of the solutions offered.

“The introduction of prison telephony in Portugal is a significant step towards promoting the rehabilitation of prisoners. Telio is proud to contribute to this important project and to connect families,” says Drews.