School's Out: Verizon Wireless Offers Many Ways to Monitor and Control Kids' Cell Phone Use

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The end of the school year means more time for vacationing students to send and receive text messages, surf the mobile Web, play mobile games and make calls on their cell phones.  But, with a few easy tips and tools from Verizon Wireless, it doesn't have to mean unexpected higher bills for their parents.

Monitor and track your family's wireless usage – Don't wait for your monthly statement to see how many messages your children are sending – check the numbers anytime through My Verizon.  Available online and on Verizon Wireless handsets, My Verizon provides 24/7 access to all billing, payment and account-related information, including usage amounts.

Not near a computer or just want to get a quick idea of what your family's usage has been?  You can always get up-to-the-minute usage information on your phone by dialing #646 (or #MIN) [Send] to receive a free text message with current airtime usage.

Block it before they purchase it – Prevent potentially unwanted purchases of data products, including ringtones, ringback tones, games and applications, by putting a block on the account.  Various blocks are available at no charge and can be set through My Verizon.

My Verizon is available to all Verizon Wireless customers at no cost.  Find My Verizon online at www.verizonwireless.com/myverizon.

Verizon Wireless also offers Usage Controls to help parents manage and monitor different aspects of their children's wireless use. Usage Controls are available on most handsets at a monthly cost of $4.99 per line. Features include the ability to:

Set voice and messaging allowances – No need to exceed your plan minutes or texts just because your daughter likes to use her phone.  Usage Allowances allow you to set limits for voice minutes and text messages that can be used during a billing cycle.  If the limit is exceeded, the account owner will be notified.  

Sign up to receive free text alerts when a family member nears or reaches their limit – You've set voice and messaging allowances for your kids; now make sure they don't go over them.  Receive a text alert before and when the limits are reached, so you can take action before any overage charges kick in.  

Designate specific times of the day when family members can call, message or use data on their cell phones – While you're at the office, you don't want to waste time worrying that your son is using his phone all day.  So don't!  Limit and control your child's use of his cell phone during a certain time of day or day of week using Time Restrictions.

Create lists of blocked phone numbers to prevent unwanted calls and text messages from being sent or received – If a certain number becomes a problem, block it.  Blocked Numbers in Usage Controls are phone numbers that are restricted from calling or messaging your child and from receiving calls and messages from your child at any time.  You can also designate trusted numbers so calls and messages can get through to your child, and 911 will always work.  

Customers can sign up for and update Usage Controls through My Verizon.  For more information on Usage Controls, visit www.verizonwireless.com/usagecontrols.

For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving nearly 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 81,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, Nasdaq: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless