| What are the best cell phones for kids, tweens | | | | service and plans. |
| (between a kid and a teenager), or teens? | | | | Wherifone |
| What is the little-known secret that can save you | | | | Whereify Wireless has just announced the |
| money on your cell phone bill? | | | | Wherifone which hasa GPS allow parents to track |
| Let's talk about kids and cell phones! Then I'll | | | | the phones using the world-wide web. |
| tellyou the secret! | | | | The phone will will initiallybe distributed by Wynit. |
| If you are thinking about getting a cell phone for | | | | The Wherifone GPS Locator Phone will retail for |
| yourchildren, kids , tween, or teen,then you can | | | | $99.95,and fixed-usage Wherify Family Locator |
| ask yourself these questions: | | | | Service plans that include both voice and location |
| Can your child handle the responsibility of keeping | | | | servicesstart at just $19.95 per month. |
| up with a phone and nottalking away or text | | | | The competitively priced, all-inclusive service plans |
| messaging away all your minutes? | | | | are straightforward and easy to understand,and |
| Can they keep the batteries charged? | | | | there are no hidden costs for additional required |
| Does your child participate in after-school and | | | | services, so parents always know exactly what |
| weekend extracurricular activities? | | | | to expect. |
| Do these activities occaisionally get canceled or | | | | Dynamic service plans are available to help save |
| have irregular starting or completion times? | | | | money when actual usageexceeds the current |
| Are there public phones available where your child | | | | service plan's limit by automatically upgrading to |
| who attends those activities can call you? | | | | the next higher service plan for that month. |
| Is the traffic in your area so unpredictable that | | | | In the regular category you will many providers |
| you are frequently latepicking your child up from | | | | (or carriers) with many optionsbut most all of the |
| activities? | | | | providers (or carriers) will give you a choice of |
| Do you need to get in contact with your child | | | | prepaid (pay-as-you-go) ora monthly plan, so we |
| regarding changes in your plans? | | | | can consider prepaid and monthly as two |
| Do you live in a high-risk area (e.g. a major | | | | subcategories of this category. |
| metropolitan area)? | | | | Most monthly plans require a contractual |
| No place is immune from crime these days, and a | | | | committment of one or two years tostart, but |
| cell phone can even make you a crime target, | | | | usually include a "free" phone, low-cost phone, or |
| butdo you need the security of knowing the | | | | substantial discount on the phoneover the regular |
| where your child is at any given time? | | | | retail price. |
| Phones with Global Positioning System (GPS) | | | | You may be able to "bring-your-own-phone" and |
| tracking are available now so that you can know | | | | avoid a contractual committment, or you may |
| where your child is at all times. | | | | not. |
| As I'm sure you've guessed, if you can answer | | | | It depends on the carrier. |
| any of these questions yes, read on! | | | | Many providers (or carriers) have family plans |
| Here are some points to consider: | | | | that let you add on new phones atmonthly costs |
| Many schools do not allow you to bring a phone | | | | much lower than their standard rate. |
| to school. | | | | However, many times you can't add a line to |
| Be sure and check with your school officials on | | | | your service unless you are alreadyusing a plan |
| the policyregarding cell phones. | | | | that higher than the minimum. |
| You may want to limit placing and receiving calls? | | | | In this situation your add-on phone can cost about |
| You may want to control who can call the phone | | | | the same as a regularminimum-priced plan. |
| as well as who can be called with the phone. | | | | You might think that prepaid plans would always |
| Maybe you don't want internet access, instant | | | | be the cheapest way to go for cell phoneplans for |
| messaging, or chat capabilitiesbecause of the | | | | people who need a cell phone for emergency or |
| costs or the interference with your child's | | | | infrequent use. |
| concentration. | | | | Unfortunately the way these plans are |
| If controlling your budget is important,there are | | | | implemented often include extracosts or hidden |
| phone plans with prepaid minutes so your kids | | | | costs. |
| can't go over. | | | | You phone can wind up costing you much more |
| Regarding cell phones for children and teens there | | | | thanyou anticipate. |
| are basically twobroad categories that you can | | | | Watch out for the incredible, shrinking, vanishing, |
| consider. | | | | expiring minutes! |
| In one category there are cell phone providers (or | | | | We mentioned these already. |
| carriers) with specialty phonesand special plans. | | | | Some phone plans offer you prepaid minutes with |
| In the other or regular category are various | | | | a long expiration time -- up to a year. |
| options using standard cell phonesfrom providers | | | | Look for these plans. |
| (or carriers). Let's look at each category. | | | | But remember that most cell phone plan |
| In the speciality category you can find TicTalk, | | | | minutesexpire at some point, so it's almost |
| Fireflymobile, and Wherify Wiress. | | | | impossibleto have a phone for a long period |
| The options are more limited. | | | | without incurring some cost to keep it. |
| TicTalk | | | | Beware the dreaded daily charge! |
| The TicTalk phone is $99.99 and the phone plan is | | | | Some plans charge a daily fee for the first call |
| a pay-as-you-go rate plant(more or this later). | | | | each day. |
| Minutes can be purchased in denominations of $25 | | | | This can really add to your charges and I think |
| (100 minutes), $50 (200 minutes), | | | | youshould avoid plans using this technique. |
| $75 (300 minutes), and $100 (400 minutes). | | | | So how can you avoid busting your budget? |
| Airtime minutes expire 90 days from purchase. | | | | And by the way, what's that big secret? |
| WIth TicTalk, parents use an Internet website | | | | Well many phones sold on regular plans such as |
| to:set up parental controls. Enter phone numbers | | | | the Nokia and Motorolahave options to restrict |
| that can be called anytimeand phone numbers | | | | incoming and outgoing calls. |
| that can only be called during permission-based | | | | This is frequently referred to as a "fixed dial list" |
| times. Choose what times the phone can ring. | | | | or a "fixed dialing list". |
| Send your child a reminder message. And, you | | | | It is usually tied to the address book and set with |
| can enable or disable features on the phone | | | | a password toallow only selected incoming calls or |
| whenever you like. | | | | outgoing calls from numbers that arein the |
| Firefly | | | | address book. |
| The Firefly phone is priced at $79.99 and is | | | | Many corporations use this plan to control |
| available at | | | | communications costs so that companyissued |
| Justice, Limited Too, Target and Toys R Us | | | | telephones can only be used to make and receive |
| stores. | | | | calls to and fromcompany authorized numbers. |
| Fireflymobile minutes are priced at $0.25 per | | | | Check out your existing phone for this feature. |
| mintues on apay as you go plan. | | | | Or if you considering a new phone, make sure it |
| The minutes expire in 90 days. | | | | has this option. |
| Refills with airtime cards are available at Target | | | | So whether you use a prepaid (pay-as-you-go) |
| and refill by phone or onlinein amounts of $25, | | | | plan or a regular monthly plan,you can control |
| $50, and $75. | | | | your costs and get the maximum benefit from |
| The Firefly phone is also available through partner | | | | your cell phone. |
| wireless carriers,who offer their own wireless | | | | |