Overview of Available Cell Phone Plans for Families

Sprint Service and Phone
* Allows parents to set wireless ‘boundaries’ for the phone to work.
* Controls which contacts can be entered into the phone book.
* Restricts incoming calls to those that are programmed by the parent.
Cost: $79.99; the parental control feature is part of the phone and can be added to your family plan.

Verizon Service and Phone
* “Chaperone Service” parents can restrict numbers and calling times
* “Child Zone Service” allows parents to locate your child’s phone from your phone or computer. You set up the locations such as home or school and receive text messages when the phone leaves those areas.

Cost: The Chaperone service must be activated by a Family Share account, which is $9.99 per month. Chaperone with Child Zone feature costs $19.99 a month.

AT&T “Smart Limits”
* Limits for number of texts and instant messages
* Limits dollar amount of downloadable purchases (ringtones, games, etc)
*Limits times of day the phone can be used
*Limits who the phone can call or text (incoming and outgoing)
*Limits Internet content access

FireFly Phone
* Has 5 buttons to store up to 20 numbers, has designated buttons for ! ! ‘Mom’and ‘Dad’ and ‘emergency’.
* PIN protection allows parents to limit incoming and outgoing calls to numbers stored in the phone book.
*Also has upgrades: GlowPhone $49.99, FlyPhone, $99.99

TicTalk
*Kids ages 6 and up and comes with five educational games
*Parents can put the child’s spelling list in to be used in Hangman.
*Parents control incoming/outgoing calls, the times of day to call
* Cost: $99, $9.99 a month (AT&T only) also pre-paid cards

Whereifone
*For ages 6 to 10 built in GPS, fed to you via web or phone access
*Parents can see where the phone has been- get periodic updates.
* A 20-number phone book where parents can restrict calls
* An “SOS” panic button for emergencies.
* Cost: $80, $20 per month plans

Sample Cell Phone Contract

_________ will be given a cell phone for his/her birthday and will be used with the discussed following rules:

_________All Contacts in the Phone Book must be approved by Mom or Dad

_________No Phone calls after 9pm weekdays, 10pm weekends unless they are to Mom and Dad, or pre-approved by us.

_________Our Plan allows maximum of 200 text messages a month.

_________No Cell Phone at any meal table or during family time (may ask permission if school related).

_________Web Surfing has been disabled.

_________If asked to turn off/stop playing/get off cell phone, must do so immediately.

_________When at home will only use the regular phone instead of cell phone to make calls.

________When out with friends will always have cell phone with you and ‘on’ so mom and dad can reach you if needed.


If the following rules have not been met, we will have to implement the following discussed consequences:

________If you go over in texts, you must pay the difference (the phone company charges 10 cents per text)

________If you go over in minutes, you must pay the difference for that month, if it happens again, then your allotted time for usage will decrease (8pm weekdays, no cell phone on Sundays).

_________If asked more than twice to turn off/put down cell phone, or the phone is used during meal or family time, personal phone privileges will be removed for a day (only may be used to call mom and dad).

________This is a one-month trial period, if all rules are followed for thirty days, mom and dad will increase hours on weekends.

________This contract will be reevaluated every six months as _____ gets older to possibly receive more texts, web surf or receive extra money for ring tones etc.



Signed:

Date:


(courtesy of Vanessa Van Petten, www.OnTeensToday.com)