NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Verizon Wireless requires a data plan on most phones now - no parental control available
----- Forwarded message from Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> ----- Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:58:26 -0500 From: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> Subject: [IP] Verizon Wireless requires a data plan on most phones now - no parental control available Reply-To: dave@farber.net To: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com> Begin forwarded message: > From: William Arbaugh <waa@cs.umd.edu> > Date: January 20, 2010 4:52:43 PM EST > To: Dave Farber <dave@farber.net> > Subject: For IP - Verizon Wireless requires a data plan on most phones > now - no parental control available > > > We promised my daughter a new cell phone for her birthday. She picked > the Envy 2. When we purchased the same phone for her older brother, it > came with a $10/mo data plan. But, we were able to cancel it > immediately. Turns out, as of Nov 19th 2009, the vast majority of > Verizon phones MUST have a minimum of a $10/mo data plan. You cannot > cancel. > > The basic plan provides only 25MB. Additional MB's are $1.99. I asked > the salesman (and later the 800 number) how I could control her data > usage so as not to exceed the 25MB/mo and incur large charges > unexpectedly. I was told my only option was to buy her an unlimited plan > for $30/mo. None of the data plans allow any parental control on how my > daughter utilizes the Internet. Turns out the only control option > available costs $5/mo. This option will only allow me to set the time > of day that she can use the phone. In other words, I can turn off > texting, calls (except emergency and a trusted list), and data. But, I > can't control individual services nor do I have any parental control > over the use of the Internet. > > Given that Verizon has now made data plans mandatory for the majority of > their phones, more and more children are going to have unfettered > Internet access in their hands (unsupervised). While I trust my > children, I still worry they will unknowingly run up the data costs or > find the more colorful corners of the Internet. Is there anything that > we can do to protect our children in this situation besides the obvious > of saying no to a phone? > > ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com ----- End forwarded message -----