| Is it safety? Is it security? Or is it just cool? | | | | your plan doesn't include a national calling plan, you will |
| | | | be charged anywhere from $0.45 to $0.80 per minute |
| Have you ever noticed how many kiosks have | | | | for those calls. So be careful. |
| popped up in you favorite mall? And just about all of | | | | |
| them are selling cell phones. Teens can actually design | | | | 3. Prepaid phones. |
| their own graphics and have the graphic airbrushed on | | | | |
| the face of the phone itself. They face plates and | | | | Simple, you buy a phone and then buy minutes as you |
| antennas that light up on each ring. Just drop by a | | | | need them. Most will include roaming and nationwide |
| kiosk next time your at the mall, you'll see what I mean. | | | | coverage, ("Roaming" no additional fees for your |
| | | | current location, where ever that might be and |
| | | | "Nationwide Coverage" just means no long distance |
| In a resent Los Angeles Times article, they stated that | | | | charges). These phones don't require any contracts, so |
| teens with cell phones were at around 16% on | | | | this means you can cancel at any time without paying |
| average. I think by 2005, it will more of an average of | | | | any cancellation fees, which can be anywhere from |
| 50% or even more. | | | | $140 to $190, depending on the contract length you |
| | | | signed up for originally. |
| Cell phones seem to be a great security feature for | | | | |
| the parents. They can now be 'connected' to their | | | | These phones don't require a credit card or even a |
| children 24 hours a day, 7 days week, and 365 days a | | | | checking account. If you have the cash in hand, you |
| year. And of course, it allows the child to dial 911 if an | | | | walk away with a cell phone and a certain amount of |
| emergency arises. And now with the GPS Location | | | | usage time. It's just that simple. |
| Sensitivity feature, your child will be located during that | | | | |
| emergency with ten feet of the phones location. | | | | 3. Disposable phones. Yes, disposable! They're going to |
| | | | have many up sides. Just to name a few: They are |
| Of course, with all this technology and added security, | | | | setup the same as the prepaid phones, no possibility to |
| there are a few problems. The school systems are | | | | get a LARGE phone bill at the end of the billing cycle. |
| being cluttered with phone calls in the middle of class. | | | | No roaming or long distance charges, some won't |
| And there is always the problem with calls in the | | | | even work if you leave the activation area, (be careful |
| hallways and bathrooms going on continuously. Most | | | | on this one, mainly if you are getting one for |
| schools are adopting the "use it during school - you | | | | emergency use). No contracts to deal with and no |
| loose it" policy. This has become a real burden on | | | | activation fees, or credit checks. |
| school administrators. Their parents as far as carrying | | | | |
| the phones themselves back the children. So this isn't | | | | The bad side, no call waiting, voice mail, or SMS (Small |
| something they can take away and keep until the end | | | | Message Service) capabilities. And you'll pay a higher |
| of the year. They must give the phones back at the | | | | per minute charge, just like the prepaid phones. In a |
| end of the day. This is usually enough of a deterrent to | | | | way, these are prepaid phones, just cheaper. And you |
| keep them off during school hours. | | | | probably won't be able to sale an old phone on eBay, |
| | | | even if it's in good condition. |
| If children and most adults new to cell phones could | | | | |
| just remember to put their phones on silent or vibrate | | | | They are soon to be introduced at a price of around |
| alert, these problems would never occur. These are | | | | $40, which gives you the cell phone and about 10 |
| the same issues with many other public places | | | | minutes of talk time. This also includes the charger and |
| including movie theaters. Of course, it's easier for some | | | | a headset. |
| wearing a belt to put their phone on vibrate, then you | | | | |
| still know if the phone rings or not, regardless if you | | | | These little phones can be recharged with time by |
| answer it or not. But for most women, they usually | | | | either buying a scratch-off card that resembles a |
| don't wear belts, this creates a problem. If the phone is | | | | lottery ticket. After scratching the card, there is a PIN |
| in any mode other than "ring", they never know, | | | | number, you enter it into the phone, and your minutes |
| (without checking from time to time), if they have | | | | are updated. Parents will also have the ability to call in |
| missed a call or not. So usually, the phones are left in | | | | and update the minutes if need be. The minutes expire |
| the "ring" mode and probably on load, sitting | | | | just like the prepaid phones, but they are saying it's set |
| somewhere in the bottom of a purse. Even with the | | | | to every six months. If you update your minute |
| purses with the little pocket on the outside for the | | | | balance, the phones won't expire. The current price per |
| phone, the phones are still left in the "ring" mode. | | | | minute, $0.25 to $0.35, depending on the phone your |
| | | | purchased. And of course, the downside is with a |
| How do you keep your child from talking you out of | | | | regular cell plan, you would probably pay around $0.15 |
| house-n-home? If you think about how your child may | | | | per minute or less. |
| get on the home phone and talk for hours if you let | | | | |
| them. What if they did that on their cell phone? There | | | | These little phones are soon to be sold in department |
| is one answer. But this might limit your ability to get in | | | | stores to convenient stores. No check or credit cards |
| contact with them when you want to. | | | | are need. If you have the cash, you can have a cell |
| | | | phone. |
| Some ideas: | | | | |
| | | | And when your done with the phone, you either throw |
| 1. Using a prepaid phone instead of using a shared plan, | | | | it away, or recycle it. (You might want to recycle the |
| (it costs anywhere from $0.30 to $1.00 per minute talk | | | | battery at least! Depending on the type of battery, |
| time). You give them a certain amount of minutes per | | | | most States have laws that describe how to properly |
| month. After that, it's up to them to use their allowance | | | | dispose of rechargeable batteries. |
| money to up the phone time. These phones are usually | | | | |
| cheap and not as fancy as some of the newer | | | | Things to keep in mind when buying a cell phone for a |
| models. | | | | child: With most all of the newer phones, you can send |
| | | | and receive SMS (Small Message Service), which |
| Using this technique is also useful on determining how | | | | means the phone is also capable of sending and |
| responsible they may be with a checking account in | | | | receiving email from the web. Some of the phones |
| the future. If they are out of the allotted minutes within | | | | allow Internet access just like your home computer. |
| the first week of the month, this might reflect in | | | | Some phones will display graphics; this means "all" |
| bounced checks in the future. And can also help to | | | | types of graphics. Some phones will take |
| ingrain the use of saving up for that rainy day: If the | | | | low-resolution pictures. These pictures can be sent to |
| child doesn't use all their minutes this month, they will | | | | anyone that can receive a picture via SMS or the |
| have that many more minutes to use the following | | | | Internet. What if a picture was taken in the Physical |
| month and so on. Just like saving money in the bank. If | | | | Education dressing room at school and sent across |
| you spend all your allowance in one week, you won't | | | | campus and off through the Internet. Do you get |
| have anything for the next three, but if you save now, | | | | picture? |
| you have twice as much to spend next month. And so | | | | |
| on, three times as much as the following month. | | | | There have been many complaints in school about |
| (Hmmm, so what could you buy if you were holding | | | | this type of Hi-Tech bullying. You have to make your |
| three months worth of allowance)? Think about it. | | | | children understand the do's and don'ts of the new |
| | | | technology. Make sure your child isn't being bullied and |
| Parents can recharge the phone each month as part | | | | make sure your child is being the bully. All this new |
| of their allowance. This gives children a feel for having | | | | technology needs to be monitored when children are |
| a checking account! Because, when it's gone, it's gone! | | | | at play. Just like your home computer, you must be |
| This will hopefully build a level of responsibility. Or this | | | | careful where your children are going. One simple way |
| could possibly make them want to go out and get a | | | | of tracking who your children are calling, even on the |
| job to buy more minutes. Either way, it has the | | | | prepaid phone models is to check the call history. |
| potential to help them coup with the world ahead of | | | | Some phones allow you to set the call history at to |
| them. | | | | save up to the last 999 phone calls made. Other |
| | | | phones may only go up to 100 or even less. You can |
| 2. Shared plans from your current provider. This is the | | | | check that history and see who they called, when, and |
| cheapest way to go. But, if your child is not yet | | | | for how long. You can see if it might have been late at |
| responsible enough not to over use, then your in for an | | | | night when they should be sleeping or if the call was |
| interesting surprise at the end of the billing cycle. With | | | | made in the middle of a class at school, which could |
| most of these plans, you can get anywhere from | | | | denote skipping classes, hey, you never know. But |
| $0.07 to $0.12 per minute. And with most carriers, the | | | | there are many ways to find out what your child is up |
| plans include either 1000 mobile-to-mobile minutes, | | | | to just by looking at the phone history. It tells you much |
| which means if your child calls someone else on the | | | | more than just a bunch of numbers! |
| same cell provider as you, the call comes off the 1000 | | | | |
| minutes. Some even have plans that mobile to mobile | | | | Just remember, most of these camera phones can |
| are unlimited. And many of the plans have free night | | | | send and receive pictures, inappropriate material can |
| and weekend plans. Which would mean, you might | | | | also be sent and received. Just be aware of this. |
| never get the child off the phone over the weekend! | | | | |
| Remember one thing: It's hard to keep up with what | | | | Most phones will access the web just like your home |
| minutes where used when and how, so you would | | | | computer. This means graphics of all kinds can be |
| have to check with your cell provider from time to time | | | | viewed. |
| to see where you are on the minutes you have | | | | |
| available. Most services have a number you can dial, | | | | If the phone will send & receive text messages, SMS, |
| and a computer voice will read off the time you have | | | | it will have the ability to send & receive Email. |
| used for the current billing cycle. And most of these | | | | |
| plans will require a one to two year contract which | | | | Many plans have free night and weekend minutes, but |
| might cost as much as $100 to $200 to break. So if | | | | make sure your child understands the company |
| you decide that the family plan isn't working out like | | | | definition of "night and weekend," Most start around 9 |
| you thought, it might cost you up to $200 to end that | | | | p.m. and end around 6 a.m. the next morning. And your |
| contract. Most of these plans will also have an | | | | weekend minutes begin around 9 p.m. on Friday and |
| activation fee, they usually charge anywhere from $30 | | | | end around 6 a.m. on Monday. Incoming and outgoing |
| to $50 per phone being activated. And of course, don't | | | | text messages, incoming and outgoing calls, Web |
| forget one really important thing: You have to buy the | | | | access, and special features such as downloading |
| phone! This always helps to you the service. And this | | | | games, screen savers, and ring tones all costs money |
| is probably going to be something the child will want to | | | | or costs part your cell minutes. Just make sure your |
| pick out. | | | | child understands that before it becomes a co$tly |
| | | | argument. Most of the horror stories I've heard about |
| One note about cell phone time-sharing. If you have a | | | | where a child ran up $1000 or more in cell phone bills |
| family of three using a shared plan of 300 minutes per | | | | within one month is usually a case where the child |
| month, and your child decides to use 300 minutes of | | | | thought they were on free minutes of some kind, but |
| talk time within the first 3 days, for the rest of that | | | | were not. |
| month you will be paying anywhere from $0.35 to | | | | |
| $0.60 per minute for every call! This might not even be | | | | Cell companies have confusing plans for a reason, to |
| a responsibility factor: What if your child calls a friend | | | | get you to spend more and make it difficult to keep up |
| that he thought was on the same cell carrier. Which, if | | | | with peak minutes used. Most services have free |
| you have the 1000 minute mobile to mobile or unlimited, | | | | mobile-to-mobile calls. If you are on Verizon and you |
| this call wouldn't count against your plan. But if his friend | | | | call someone else on Verizon, it costs you nothing off |
| was wrong about the carrier, you get bill. | | | | your peak cell minutes. This is free for peak and |
| | | | non-peak calls. (Check with your own carry to see if |
| (I've actually done this)! And I never checked my time | | | | they offer this feature). Soon we'll be able to keep our |
| because I use a program that does that for me. I just | | | | cell numbers as we bounce from carrier to carrier. |
| enter in the numbers I think are unlimited, and the | | | | Let's say your on Verizon, your friend used to be on |
| program never counts those numbers. Well, if you get | | | | Verizon, she switched to Sprint and she was able to |
| that wrong, it can bite pretty hard at the end of the | | | | take her old cell phone number with her. You still call |
| billing cycle when you see that pretty bill. | | | | the same number and think she is on Verizon, so it's a |
| | | | free call, right? No, since she moved to Sprint. It |
| A note about roaming fees. If you aren't in your "area" | | | | becomes a costly mistake at the end of the month |
| as defined by your cell service provider, you will be | | | | when you get your bill. |
| charge a roaming fee for incoming and outgoing calls. If | | | | |