Firefly or is it Wirefly, for kids, question

Originally Posted by Cell_site

it call " FireFly "

Thats right !! if you are planning to give a phone to your teenager, firefly is the best, because parent's can set up to 20 telephone numbers into the firefly, and ur kids can only dials those numbers !!! it is easy as simple to log online and setup those numbers thru computer !!!

parent's wont worry about " OVER Charges " or " Suprises " on there bill

Originally Posted by etiRkca

I'm not sure a teenager would be too thrilled about carrying around a firefly. If you're a parent and your teen incurs overages on their bill, it's a good time to teach them a lesson about responsibility. Let them grow. They need phones that actually work. Just make sure they know how and when to use the phone.

Originally Posted by otsego6

Diskors,

I couldn't have said it better myself. You sir, are a wise man. Unless you are a woman. Then you are a wise woman.

Originally Posted by diskors

It's not so much whether they are thrilled or not, but rather how effective is the phone in helping them to be responsible and connecting them to the necessary people. They "need" only to connect to certain people/places: home, parents, school, emergency contacts, and the like. They don't need a RAZR do that; a phone like the RAZR would just be another weapon of mass distraction for a teenager and way to waste unearned money. Plus, like a wise man once said, "Children need your presence more than your presents." Besides, the firefly phones do work. I do agree with you that they are not the best way to teach responsibility; in fact, it's a rather draconic method, but I can't decide for a parent how to raise/teach their own child.

Originally Posted by otsego6

Just got one for our 8 yr old for Christmas. I'm not sure exactly what you are asking, but feel free to ask me any question that you have.

She can only call the numbers that I put into the phone, and I set up call screening so that any number that calls the phone that isnt in her phone book the phone wont ring.

All in all it is a really nice setup for a kid. Also you can go prepaid or postpaid. When we first went to look at it, they said prepaid only. I didnt want to do that for 25 cents a minute. She is now on the plan with us and it is only the 9.99 charge.

That is all I can think of right now. Any questions that you have, just let me know.

Originally Posted by diskors

It's not so much whether they are thrilled or not, but rather how effective is the phone in helping them to be responsible and connecting them to the necessary people. They "need" only to connect to certain people/places: home, parents, school, emergency contacts, and the like. They don't need a RAZR do that; a phone like the RAZR would just be another weapon of mass distraction for a teenager and way to waste unearned money. Plus, like a wise man once said, "Children need your presence more than your presents." Besides, the firefly phones do work. I do agree with you that they are not the best way to teach responsibility; in fact, it's a rather draconic method, but I can't decide for a parent how to raise/teach their own child.

Originally Posted by diskors

It's not so much whether they are thrilled or not, but rather how effective is the phone in helping them to be responsible and connecting them to the necessary people. They "need" only to connect to certain people/places: home, parents, school, emergency contacts, and the like. They don't need a RAZR do that; a phone like the RAZR would just be another weapon of mass distraction for a teenager and way to waste unearned money. Plus, like a wise man once said, "Children need your presence more than your presents." Besides, the firefly phones do work. I do agree with you that they are not the best way to teach responsibility; in fact, it's a rather draconic method, but I can't decide for a parent how to raise/teach their own child.

Originally Posted by otsego6

What is OLAM?

Originally Posted by flippy

I am still wondering why Firefly, because you can have same restrictions with any GSM phones, old or new.

All one has to do is to go the "Phone Setup" on any GSM phone and tell the phone to only allow either SIM card dialing or preprogrammed numbers dialing from the phone.

Save that $99 phone cost, put the account on Mobile to Mobile (Family Talk Plan). Total cost? 1 old GSM phone put to good use and $9.95 a month Family Talk calling plan. Total savings, aprox. $70 at least.

If you want Push To Talk to chat with the family, get the Samsung D357 (buy one get one free) and add $19.95 ( PTT for all the Family Talk Lines...unlimited) for the PTT option and chat away.

I was looking at Firefly too a few months ago, but after sitting down with pad and pencil, thats what I came up with. So thats what we ended up doing and the the kids have a "real" phone and we can change the restrictions on the same phone as they grow up.

Hope this will help.

Just my 2cts

Originally Posted by otsego6

If that is a good solution for you, that is fantastic. I see a few loopholes though. This is all dependant on the age of your kids. My daughter is 8, and loves to push buttons on her firefly. What about media net? You can still access that no matter what you do to the phone. No? Also text messaging. That could be a big problem if you dont stop it before it happens, especially if you dont have a text plan on your account.

Maybe I am wrong with these ideas, and they can be controlled with the SIM. If that is the case, I would love to be able to lock out media net from my phones, just so no one is tempted to use it.

Originally Posted by flippy

Just out of curiousity. Can Firefly number be ported over to Cingular to say, part of Family Talk plan?