It appears I broke the link to the mobile phone bill story, above. The link below works. I've also copied it for convenience below:
"Saving money on kids' mobile phone bills"
Debra Cleveland November 8, 2006
tinyurl.com
Mobile phones are a double-edged sword when it comes to children. Most parents give kids a phone because they want a link to home. But for many families, the new phone becomes a source of conflict because of big bills - and it opens the door to a plethora of irritating scams and hidden costs.
Unwanted ring tone subscriptions, SMS scams and one-off $6 charges for TV competitions are just some of the things that catch children and unwary parents.
More than 50,000 complaints were made about mobiles in 2005-2006, the telecommunications industry ombudsman has revealed, with the biggest growth in grievances with premium-rate SMS services - up 231 per cent on the previous year.
So, whether you're contemplating a mobile for a child or you're already tearing your hair out at a teenager's high bills, read on - there are steps you can take to bring the costs under control.
First-time phones
For younger children, some handsets also act as a tracking device or are modified to allow access only to certain phone numbers. While in many cases mum's or dad's old phone will do, these tailored handsets can be useful if more parental control is needed.
For kids under 10, have a look at ikids, says Kim Wingerei, managing director of online advisory service MobileSelect. "It can only call preset numbers, it can receive SMSs and track where your child is. If your child is outside a particular perimeter you define, such as school or the park, it sends you a warning."
As part of a plan, the phone costs $299 and is built into a 24-month contract at $28 a month (with 30 minutes of calls included).
The new TicTalk from Telstra is another option. Designed for kids aged six to 12, it allows calls only to preset numbers and accepts text messages only from those numbers. Without a plan, the phone costs $259. On a 24-month plan (monthly $15, or $20 with 40 minutes of calls and $30 with 60 minutes of calls), it's included.
Paying for calls
The advantage of a prepaid phone, Wingerei says, is the control: once the money runs out, no more calls.
"The downside is call rates are higher, so you end up paying more for each call," he says. "And it still doesn't stop the user from downloading ring tones and getting sucked into services they may not be aware they're paying for." Call rates can be $1.02 for the first minute.
Post-paid phones require more discipline because there's no limit. This applies even to capped plans because the call charges are often higher, making it easy to reach the cap. Contracts are often cheaper - 42 cents for the first minute, says Michelle Collins of phone broker www.cheapphonedeals.com.au - but you're locked in for the term of the deal.
A cost-saving on post-paid phones is a "red alert" when the monthly spend gets to a certain limit. Wingerei cites Think Mobile, where its Control option allows you to set a monthly limit of $30 for your child. When that's reached a text is sent to your phone and outgoing calls on the child's mobile are barred until the following month. It can still receive calls. Think's call rates are low - 36 cents for the first minute - but there is a $12 monthly access fee. Collins says this "red alert" is possible on any phone - just call the provider and ask them to set it up for you.
Ring tone rip-offs
As this writer found out, ring tones or "wallpaper" (pictures on the mobile) can eat up prepaid credit in no time just by your child texting a number in a children's magazine.
Sure, the small print says you have to be the bill payer and over a certain age, but that's usually overlooked both by children and providers.
In this case a refund of $9 was forthcoming, but it required persistence and detective work finding the provider's number.
When your children first get a phone, warn them not to download ring tones or to budget for how much they cost. It's also easy for them to unwittingly commit to a weekly subscription at up to $3.95 a pop.
Again from personal experience, this writer noticed the credit on a Telstra prepaid phone was down almost $28 and found seven weekly debits had been made. Telstra refunded the money and says this is now official policy as long as the automatic downloads are not knowingly requested.
Music downloads are going to be the next big seller, Wingerei says. Rather than banning them outright, he suggests exploring a subscription service for $10 a month rather than being hit with a surprise $50 bill.
Premium numbers
Treat 1300 and 1800 numbers with caution, Collins advises. Calls from a mobile cost an average 70 cents a minute with a 25-cent flag fall. Calls for TV competitions - often on 1900 numbers - cost an average $3.50. And when teenagers send text messages to these numbers they receive a reply - for which they pay anything up to $3.
Calls to 1900 numbers for astrological predictions can cost $5 a minute.
Check what each text or call is costing your kids (or you). Another way is to disable calls or text messages to these numbers via your service provider.
Tricks of the trade
If your child's phone has access to the internet, talk about downloads and how much they can cost. Ask your provider if you're not sure of the details. Collins cites teenagers going online with their handsets and downloading interactive soccer games at $8 a pop. If it gets out of hand, you can ask the provider to disable the internet service.
Avoid unnecessary messages and missed calls by asking your provider to extend the time your child's phone rings - usually it lasts about 15 seconds, but you can ask for this to be extended for longer.
Bar international calls and, if your child goes overseas with a phone, do the same with global roaming. Otherwise you'll be footing the bill - callers will be charged the local rate, but you'll be charged for the cost of the call from Australia to wherever they are.
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