How To Give Your Kid a Cell Phone Without Breaking the Bank

A recent survey* shows 47 percent of kids age 6-17 say the cell phone is the electronic gadget topping their wish list this holiday season. According to the Yankee Group, a Boston-based industry analyst firm, in 2000 just five percent of 13-17 year olds had cell phones. Today 56 percent do. Cingular Wireless, the nation’s largest wireless phone carrier, has the most “tween-aged” wireless customers in the country.
Cingular has several ways to help Mom and Dad choose the right cell phone and plan that will delight their child, but not bust the budget.

Parental Controls: Rules are important in any household. Cingular’s free Parental Controls enable parents to set limits for their children for purchasing a new ring tone or mobile game. Parents have the freedom to dole out a downloadable as a special treat and not have any surprises when the bill comes at the end of the month. Additionally parents have the ability to decide which wireless content is age appropriate for their child. With Parental Controls, you can easily restrict access to web sites containing mature content that is not appropriate for children or control the purchase of downloads such as games, ring tones and graphics. You can set up these controls on your phone - or by contacting Customer Care at 1-866-CINGULAR. There is no monthly fee for Parental Controls.

Music to your ears …If your son or daughter wants an iPod or MP3 player AND a cell phone this holiday season - Cingular has a solution that will make them smile and save your wallet from looking like it was run over by a reindeer. Both the Motorola V3i and Motorola SLVR from Cingular support iTunes. And, the new Samsung SYNC, LG CU500, or the Sony Ericsson W810i are just a few of the devices that support Cingular Music, which offers a variety of music options at the click of a button.

Read the complete Press Release