T-Mobile USA to give parents more control
July 31 2008 - 1:04 pm EDT | Allie Winter | RCR Wireless News
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Thanks to a new T-Mobile USA Inc. offering, parents can give their children a different type of allowance each month, and it’s not the typical $5 they get for finishing chores.
The carrier unveiled Family Allowances, a feature allowing parents to manage multiple accounts. To eliminate surprise overages, a common problem among family plans with text-crazy teens, the new service lets parents set a monthly wireless allowance, allowing a certain number of minutes, messages and downloads. Once an allowance is hit in any of those areas, the service shuts off. However, parents can select certain numbers to continue working, even after a service is shut off, through the Always Allowed feature.
T-Mobile USA’s unlimited features such as myFaves and in-network calling will remain available once allowances are spent, but parents can choose to set allowances on calling features as well, even after the carrier recently launched unlimited options for family plans. Parents also have the option of establishing the time of day when a phone can be used, set allowances of minutes, messages and downloads down to zero at any given time, and select numbers that will always be blocked, an increasingly popular feature among carriers. T-Mobile USA continues to offer Web Guard, a free feature restricting access to adult-themed Web sites.
Family Allowance is set to launch in August at an introductory rate of $2 per month.
August 17, 2008 06:09 am
Family Allowances sounds nice & great & all but...$2/mo is kinda a rip-off...these controls/limits should be EXPECTED...not a "pay more for it" thing...right now I signed up for FA since it's only $2/mo & since they said it was an introductory price (scare tactics worked)...I didn't wanna wait & have to pay more (I'm locked in at $2/mo)...but I still think we need a Lawsuit to force all cell companies to provide this type of control by default...The Text Messaging Lawsuit did wonders (& I think it isn't even actually settled yet)...how about one more for this?...I understand development of new features costs money, but having control of your plan should, really, be expected...even if $2 is cheap...So...Family Allowances Should Be Free...
August 7, 2008 06:27 am
This feature addition is very helpful to parents. It gives them exactly what they need - connectivity to kids when required, without excposing them to perils of abuse/misuse. Good example of use of technology with discipline ! T-Mobile rocks !
August 6, 2008 04:43 pm
The most parent-friendly aspect of this feature in my opinion is the time options. Say a parent is dealing with a teen who has been texting during 6th period Algebra. With Family Allowences parents can turn their children's phone's off during school hours, eliminating the temptation to text. Way too cool if you ask me.
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
This is exactly what Disney developed and offered 2 years ago - nothing new or groundbreaking.
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
This was a very smart idea for T-Mobile. Parents want to control how and when a cell phone is used. I always get that question asked, "can I limit their use". http://wirelessconsultant.net
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
911 callbacks in most jurisdictions is a voluntary service to mobile phones. Wireless carriers do not provide subscriber numbers to the PSAP's. Blocking these numbers will not violate any regulation.
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
Not sure how compliant this is with E911 Callback from PSAPs. Parental Controls will still allow the user to make 911 calls with zero balances, but will block PSAP callbacks which is non-compliant with regulatory mandates.
July 31, 2008 01:08 pm
Verizon Wireless already has a program like this it is called Usage Controls.
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
Fantastic idea! TMO is always progressing and predicting what the market is needing.
July 31, 2008 02:17 pm
WOW!!! This is so awesome...TMOBILE ROCKS