| Cell Phones for Young Children
By Allan
Keiter
Does
your 5th grader really need
a cell phone? We can’t
answer that one for you, but
the wireless industry now thinks
he does. Ever on the
lookout for new markets, there
are now phones specifically
designed for 8 to 12 year olds.
Firefly: The
Firefly phone is available
through Cingular with a contract
or as a pay-as-you-go service
from major retailers. This
translucent blue phone (other
shell colors are available)
has just a handful of programmable
buttons on the front, including “Mom” and “Dad” icons
to speed dial those individuals
with a push of the button.
There is also a 911 button.
The phone book (PIN protected)
allows parents to program in
up to 20 numbers. In addition,
an optional instruction sets
the phone to automatically
reject any call from a number
not in the phone book. The
Firefly is just a little over
2 ounces and its battery allows
for 6 hours of talking, or
over a week of standby, between
charges.
LG Migo: The
Migo is available through Verizon
with a contract. The Migo has
four programmable front buttons
(labeled 1 to 4) for speed
dial, and a big 911 button
in the middle. This set-up
is a bit less friendly than
the Firefly, as the prominence
of the 911 button could lead
to its inadvertent use. Additionally,
your child will need to remember
which of the numbered buttons
will reach Mom or Dad. The
Migo has more traditional cell
phone options than Firefly,
including a speakerphone and
vibrate mode. The Migo also
has an M3 rating for hearing
aid compatibility. The phone
is about 2.5 ounces, with 3
hour talk time and 9 days of
standby time.
Both phones should do the
trick if you want your child
to be able to reach you. For
those with Cingular or Verizon
service, we’d suggest
adding your child(ren) to your
existing plan, turning it into
(or adding to) a family plan.
As this article is written,
the monthly charge for additional
lines (up to 5 total) is just
$9.99 each.
Allan
Keiter is president of MyRatePlan.com.
Founded in 1999, MyRatePlan
offers unbiased content,
filters and calculators
to help consumers make
more informed decisions
about the products and
services they research
and buy online.
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