I got my first cell phone when I was 20 years old… And do you know what I did with it? Well, besides playing Snake when I was bored — I called people. That’s it. There was no such thing as instant access to the World Wide Web. I couldn’t text message 24/7 with my friends. Heck, it barely got voice service most of the time!
What it boils down to is times have changed dramatically in a very short period of time, and the average age that kids start getting cell phones these days is decreasing rapidly. I swore that my kids wouldn’t get phones until they were at least 13 years old, but then we moved to a new neighborhood and the walkie-talkies we had used previously weren’t cutting it anymore. So all but my 6 year old have them, and not one of them is 13 yet…
Cell phones are powerful gadgets, and getting one for a child should not be taken lightly. Ground rules must be set on everything from when they have permission to use it, who they can interact with, how much data/messaging they can use, and on and on. Thankfully, many cell phone providers have been listening and are now providing parents with tools they can use to manage their children’s devices.
One such provider is Virgin Mobile, who recently sent me the LG Unify phone, which has their parental control software preinstalled. The LG Unify is an Android smartphone, available exclusively at Walmart. Reasonably priced at $129.99, it runs on the Sprint Virgin Mobile prepaid network.
What I really like about the Virgin Custom Mobile service, is that it’s truly customizable. While most prepaid plans offer a package deal, with Virgin’s plan, you load the phone with a prepaid card, known as a Top-Up card, and you’re then given the option to build a monthly plan by choosing your minutes, text messages, and data separately.
The Virgin Custom Mobile base plan starts at $6.98 and includes 20 minutes of talk and 20 text messages. Adding talk minutes and text messages is pretty reasonable — 250 minutes is an additional $3 per month and unlimited text messaging is only an additional $10. Data is where you’ll take a hit, with a 3GB plan coming in at $34, although this is competitive with other carriers.
By installing the Virgin Custom Mobile app on your phone, the primary user has complete control over each member’s plan usage. Change it throughout the month as your needs change, and you can even create a monthly shared plan that can cover up to a total of five members. And you don’t even have to be a Virgin Mobile user yourself! I have an iPhone with a plan through AT&T, and I was able to download and manage the LG Unify phone via the app, which is available for both iOS and Android.
In addition to managing your plan, what I found to be particularly compelling is the parental controls section. Virgin has really given parents a ton of flexibility here, allowing you to set a curfew or restricted hours for usage, determine who can call or text your child, and even drill down to the app level, allowing you to to set which apps can be used and when.
Parental controls are no substitute for having an ongoing open dialog with your kids about Internet safety and limits, but they definitely provide a little extra peace of mind!
Virgin Custom Mobile currently offers parental controls preinstalled on the LG Unify, LG Pulse, and ZTE Emblem, and all of these devices are currently available exclusively at Walmart. You can also purchase Top-Up cards starting at $6.98 (the cost of a Virgin Custom Mobile base plan).
So what’s the bottom line? If you’re in the market for a good starter phone with stellar parental controls or just a decent budget-friendly phone with a customizable plan, these offerings from Virgin Custom Mobile are an excellent choice!
Does your child have a cell phone? And if so, how are you currently monitoring their usage?
Quick purchase links:
- ZTE Emblem, $59.99
- LG Pulse, $79.99
- LG Unify, $129.99
- Virgin Mobile Custom Top-Up Card, psa $6.98
