My child is 12 and is wanting a cell phone. She goes to dances, practices, walks home from school, ect. Plus she is also helping to pay for it. The phone she wants is nothing special. Just an LG from Alltel. She wants a plan because of the daily access fee plus minutes. The plan she wants is 39.99 dollars a month. I can afford that with her helping me. But I'm still not sure.
2007-10-29 05:06:09 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Consumer Electronics ➔ Cell Phones & Plans
I have a better idea. Get her a pre-paid phone. That way you do not have to worry about her abusing it or misusing it. She will have a limited amount of minutes she can use and will have to budget her money and time. Otherwise your $39.99 a month plan could suddenly come in at $139.99 when she overuses it talking to her friends all day.
2007-10-29 05:11:36 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think that you're making a huge mistake getting her a mobile phone with a plan. Unless you go with a company like Cricket with a set rate for unlimited local minutes, the prepaid route is the best option and you'd be much better off all the way around.
The biggest billing issue parents have with mobile phone companies are the phones their children use, because they all too often exceed the minutes the plans allow, so there is a premium for the overage. Then they use the texting which is generally charged separately and not included as part of the voice plan.
Add-ons also increase the cost of monthly billing. Alltel's overage on the 39.99 National Freedom and Greater Freedom Plans is .40/minute and their texting is pay per use at .15/per message. The Axcess addon for texting ranges from 5.99/month to 14.99/month and that's just for messaging functions including text, instant (IM), picture and video messaging. And that doesn't factor in things like taxes and first time service activation fees.
LG's phones range in price from entry level to high end. If you get a free phone, it's most likely to be an entry level or older model that is being phased out due to newer models coming out. If it's a high end LG, then you may have to pay the difference, even on a one or two year contract. Either way, you will want to insure the phone, so the insurance is an add on extra as well. Remember - just because the phone is free does NOT mean that it doesn't have a real retail value. The basic entry level LG's right now have a retail value of $139.00 and the higher end is $279.99. Believe me, you're not going to get a free $279.99 phone even with a 2 year contract, even if the phone is made by LG!
Since she is a minor, of course, she cannot be the main account holder and she cannot be held legally liable for the charges on the account. YOU would be the legal, financially responsible person. Mobile phone companies do not let people bring down large bills with time payments and at the same time allow them to keep the service active.
I think its the height of parental hubris to get a child of 12 a mobile phone with a regular rate plan + add ons with the expectation that the child will have the discipline to 1.) stay within the minutes and have the ability to 2.) protect the phone against warranty voiding damage as well as loss or theft and lastly 3) to go to you when they know they've exceeded their minutes or forgotten their phone some where.
Prepaid plans impose a budgetary restriction on the user -- there is only a set amount of minutes, time and so on that is available so the user has to budget their use effectively or buy more minutes upfront with refill cards.
2007-10-29 05:57:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
As soon as my son is old enough to grasp the concept of having a cell phone (in case of emergencies) I am buying him one. They have these two button phones, I think they are called fireflies. You can program it to only call 911, and mom and dad. Thats just for my peace of mind. Its prepaid too. I just cant stand the thought of him not having a way to reach me. What if he misses the bus or something really crazy happens? I have heard of a couple stories where kids are snatched but recovered because of a cell phone.
Now, when he gets older, i will get him a regular phone. Probably prepaid, unless he proves himself to be mature. Once again, its more for my piece of mind, and with most family plans he can call me for free. Now they have that my 5 thing, and he could put his friends on it and call them for free. If he ran up a large bill, I would make him pay the excess.
Hope that helps some.
2007-10-29 05:22:10 · answer #3 · answered by st_melody 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. 12 12 months olds don't have a cellular telephone. in the event that they are in activities, the faculties have telephones. i'm 40 9 and that i survived dealing with activities, etc. with out one. At 12, there could desire to consistently be some type of person supervision and that they could enable your newborn to apply it. while they start utilising is while they could desire to be allowed a cellular telephone for emergency use in basic terms. At 18 they are able to do what they desire for the main section.
2016-10-03 00:00:20 · answer #4 · answered by doelling 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a 10 year old and personally I don't think ANY kid needs a phone. Any place my daughter should be HAS a phone and she can call from it. I think people get their kids all kinds of things that they don't need. What does the kid have to look forward to?? I don't have a cell phone either....certainly my kid doesn't need one. It is something they want, then when they start driving, they are texting and messing with the phone instead of paying attention to the road and will end up in accidents. Most adults can't handle driving and talking on the phone, much less the kids. People these days are "buying" their kids so it's convenient.
I can handle all the thumbs down too...no big deal!
2007-10-29 05:19:16 · answer #5 · answered by str8talker 5 · 2⤊ 3⤋
i would consider getting one of my children a cell phone at a time that they have a lot going on and need to call for a ride or other things. however i would be certain to purchase one that has gps in it, that way i would be able to track my child down just in case.
2007-10-29 05:11:06 · answer #6 · answered by scott A 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes but make it a privledge to have. If she messes up it goes away.
That is best.
2007-10-29 05:14:00 · answer #7 · answered by BubbaGump 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it sounds very useful for her busy schedule.
2007-10-29 05:23:50 · answer #8 · answered by totalbeyotch 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yes by all means let her have one. for safety if nothing else.
2007-10-29 05:09:50 · answer #9 · answered by LISA 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋