Your Kid Wants A Cell Phone...what Kind Of Phone & …

...Or calling plan do you purchase for child, let's say a 13-16 year old. With all the cell phone and features/options what would you allow your kid to have? What service provider...Nextel with warlike talkie, verizon, cingular, with a razr that offers V-cast, music, TEXT MESSAGES, what kind a plan/RULES would you lay out for your child, would you let your child stay competitive with friends.

---

› See More: Your Kid Wants A Cell Phone...what Kind Of Phone & …

I would get something basic with insurance on the phone. Let them pay for text messaging if they want it and the insurance replacement if they need it. It will help them with responsibility.

IMHO, If a kid is under 14, don't give them a cell phone. Most aren't responsable enough to understand money. But, that's just most kids. For those who are responsable, you probably want T-Mobile. They have cheap plans (500mins + Unlimited Nights/Weekends for $45 a month w/ tax) and the Sidekick, which kids love beacuse it's unlimited txt, aim, web, etc...

For those who AREN'T responsable, get them a Go Phone with Cingular. They'll learn the value of a dollar!

metro pcs, prepaid like ampd $0.10 per min have $20 montly auto top up. t-mobile kidconnect(50 min n&w m2m $19 cant go over)

Originally Posted by Robb4248

IMHO, If a kid is under 14, don't give them a cell phone. Most aren't responsable enough to understand money. But, that's just most kids. For those who are responsable, you probably want T-Mobile. They have cheap plans (500mins + Unlimited Nights/Weekends for $45 a month w/ tax) and the Sidekick, which kids love beacuse it's unlimited txt, aim, web, etc...

For those who AREN'T responsable, get them a Go Phone with Cingular. They'll learn the value of a dollar!

i hava pay as u go cingular... jus in case..

i think it has like 8 minutes left on it..

not really emergencies in my case... i always leave it in the car

i started with like 100 minutes...

now i use it on a regular basis... only cz i cant reach the phone while im driving... or if im too lazy to get the phone in the house when i forget it....

When she was 13, we added our daughter to our Verizon Family plan, sharing 1000 minutes between 4 phones. We have unlimited nights and weekends and mobile to mobile. She has never pushed us over our minutes or incurred any crazy charges on her line.

Honestly, I would never do a pre-paid phone with a teenager. Try as they might, they have horrible perceptions of time. When they need it most, they would probably be out of minutes.

Let's being with the fact that most parents buy cheap plans, trying to keep the monthly cost to a minimum, yet get angry at the telco's when the kids go over their minutes or incur extra charges.

And for most parents, getting their kids to pay for the $300 phone bill is next to impossible.

That said, I'd avoid the whole situation altogether. I'd get my child a proper plan, with enough daytime minutes, unlimited early evenings and weekends (6pm start), and get them all the options, such as unlimited text, mobile browser, unlimited picture and video messaging, etc.

Sure the bill would be some $50 a month, but at least you don't run the risk of your child racking up huge texting fees, or mobile browser fees, etc.

As for a handset, it's up to them really. I'd put them on a 1 year contract, and pay a certain amount for a handset. If they want something more, they pay the difference.

Originally Posted by _Abom_

As for a handset, it's up to them really. I'd put them on a 1 year contract, and pay a certain amount for a handset. If they want something more, they pay the difference.

I agree 110%! My daughter wants the Razr V3c very badly. so far, she has been getting my hand-me-down phones. I told her that when she is eligible for the promotional price on any phone and can come up with the $70.00 for the phone, then she can have it.

However, I will not get her the text packages available through Verizon, because I do not believe in "texting". I have read statistic after statistic regarding children and text messaging. Studies have shown that more kids use text messaging, for example, to cheat on tests during school time. I do not want to put my daughter in a position where she will be tempted into or trapped in a bad situation in school. On the rare occassion that I need to send a text message, I don't mind incurring the small fee per message from Verizon. I know there is no way I will ever use enough text messages to make a bulk plan worth it.

Originally Posted by paulcman

I agree 110%! My daughter wants the Razr V3c very badly. so far, she has been getting my hand-me-down phones. I told her that when she is eligible for the promotional price on any phone and can come up with the $70.00 for the phone, then she can have it.

However, I will not get her the text packages available through Verizon, because I do not believe in "texting". I have read statistic after statistic regarding children and text messaging. Studies have shown that more kids use text messaging, for example, to cheat on tests during school time. I do not want to put my daughter in a position where she will be tempted into or trapped in a bad situation in school. On the rare occassion that I need to send a text message, I don't mind incurring the small fee per message from Verizon. I know there is no way I will ever use enough text messages to make a bulk plan worth it.

aaaahhh

thats exactly how my father feels. he says " why use text messaging when u can just call them? that ruins the whole purpose of a phone!, if u want to text ill get you a beeper instead."

meh

i tlked him into it

i jus use it when i cant tlk, when i really need to, like during church service, when everyone is sleeping

i never thought of cheating though!

Best plan is the one the family can afford, with rules on how the phone are going to be used, unless the person(s) getting the phone(s) are paying for the plan or extras.

My personal faves are...

"The cell phones don't leave the house, unless I know where your going plan, and you better answer it when I call it"

"You don't use the phone to chit chat, unless you're paying the bill plan."

"The first time you go over your plan mins by more than $20, you won't be seeing a phone until you're 40 plan."

And the best cell phone plan of all...

"He who earns the gold rules, hang up that phone now!"

BlkBear, once again you have hit the nail on the head... I have used all of those plans and more with my daughter!

Originally Posted by paulcman

BlkBear, once again you have hit the nail on the head... I have used all of those plans and more with my daughter!

Hey not bad for a man with no kids!

I have had a few of my friend's kids to ask me if I'd help them get a phone, and I told them, get a prepaid phone and pay for it for a year and I'll buy you a phone of your choice within a certain price range.

"What? Use my own money to pay for a phone I'll be using?"

So far I have only bought one phone. So much for the end run anound the folks. heheheh

Originally Posted by BlkBear

"The first time you go over your plan mins by more than $20, you won't be seeing a phone until you're 40 plan."

I love this one !

Get them a cell phone if they are 16, not earlier. And even then, make them pay for it.

or what about that one "cellphone" that's made for kids where it can only call home and 911..