Parental Controls on Mobiles?

[Getnthair]

Daughter starting secondary school....eek!

Needs a mobile phone in case she misses bus, stays on for after-school sport, whatever....

Have a spare iPhone 6 and expect I just get a pay-as-you-go SIM card? Hoping to tie in a pay-as-you-do-some-jobs-and-earn-pocket money deal too???
I was looking for a phone/text only package (probably no longer available?) but wife wants her to have access to WhatsApp - so data needed.
How can I restrict her use of data? She isn't that bothered about surfing/googling/etc at this stage but expect that will change (fast?).
Do I reset to factory settings first?
Then what?

Naturally, there is no urgency in this request - I've had all summer to sort this out and am now panicking as school starts on Monday.

 

[Storeman]

Is the phone locked to a particular network?
If so, then it will need a sim card from the network provider that it is locked to.

Yes, a full factory rest will prepare the device for it's new user.

Not used any parental type controls myself, there may be some usefull info here...........

http://uk.pcmag.com/parental-contro...the-best-parental-control-apps-for-your-phone

 

[Ukjay]

If you buy a simm only payg option, they already have limited data built in etc, so not sure why you need parental controls.

Parental controls are normally associated with restrictions on content type rather than amount of data used. You control data use by the option you buy with your package.

 

[milkloss]

There is a basic method of controlling available apps and such:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/ht201304

 

[Getnthair]

If you buy a simm only payg option, they already have limited data built in etc, so not sure why you need parental controls.

Parental controls are normally associated with restrictions on content type rather than amount of data used. You control data use by the option you buy with your package.

Seems I can control some access with Vodafone payasyougo package - I have to phone them to ensure it is "on".

There is a basic method of controlling available apps and such:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/ht201304

Don't quite understand Apple's restrictions - just seems to block access to certain areas.
Really want to monitor - and guide - her usage (without being too much of a controlling parent)

 

[Getnthair]

Is the phone locked to a particular network?
If so, then it will need a sim card from the network provider that it is locked to.

Yes, a full factory rest will prepare the device for it's new user.

Not used any parental type controls myself, there may be some usefull info here...........

http://uk.pcmag.com/parental-contro...the-best-parental-control-apps-for-your-phone

EEEnteresting....
There is quite a range of apps that allow you to monitor what your child is doing. My wife and I are sure we want to have some way of checking and monitoring what she does - but do trust her too.
Thoughts are to just get a payasyougo package and see how quick she uses it - and to see what issues it throws up. Expect more problems/concerns as she gets older but by then she should be more savvy. Fingers crossed?

 

[multi power]

If you feel you have to check up on her does she REALLY need a phone ?

 

[Getnthair]

If you feel you have to check up on her does she REALLY need a phone ?

Yes, she needs a phone -
Local bus company that covers our route is notorious for not turning up at the school.
A wee bit of comfort - for daughter - in that she can get in touch with us (more likely, her mother). Only child from small local school going up to secondary - although they have had very good transitional arrangements.

Do we have to check up on her?
Probably being neurotic parents - heyho.....
Probably - in a week or two - have no need to worry....

 

[Storeman]

EEEnteresting....
There is quite a range of apps that allow you to monitor what your child is doing. My wife and I are sure we want to have some way of checking and monitoring what she does - but do trust her too.
Thoughts are to just get a payasyougo package and see how quick she uses it - and to see what issues it throws up. Expect more problems/concerns as she gets older but by then she should be more savvy. Fingers crossed?

Sounds like a sensible plan.
Sister was around earlier, I should have asked her what they do with my 2 nieces phones. Youngest is 11 and oldest is 15. I know that my sister and BIL set up the girls email addresses and receive a copy of every email they themselves receive, so they have an overview of what they are up to. Very handy, as the youngest got caught trying to open an ebay account a while back. I asked her where she would get the money from, 'Dads credit card' was her reply. She has an answer for everything, that one...... which is why I call her 'The Gobby One' .

May be worth having a look on Mumsnet, or get the wife to have a look. I reckon there is a good chance the question has been raised on there.