How do i stop my son going over his limit!!

74jax

If he is using it for email and facebook etc then I'd either up the tariff to include internet or monitor it and when he's used it take the phone off him.

At 12 I'm not sure a Blackberry is the best way to go though. Does he have access to any internet site he likes?

grumbler

surfbabe10 wrote: »

He gets 500 texts and 100 mins and 1 gb of internet. Really dont want to up his tariff as I think that should be enough for him. I wish there was a lower limit you could put on his account.

Switch the tariff to Virgin £15.32 Talker 500 minutes Unlimited texts - and disable the internet.

As simple as that.

P.S. and prohibit him from using MMS.

surfbabe10

74jax wrote: »

If he is using it for email and facebook etc then I'd either up the tariff to include internet or monitor it and when he's used it take the phone off him.

At 12 I'm not sure a Blackberry is the best way to go though. Does he have access to any internet site he likes?

Blackberrys are really popular phones at that age as they are free on a lot of contracts and low monthly payment. They are no different to most of the other phones out there at the moment. He has never gone over his internet allowance and no he does not have access to all the internet I have a parental lock on it as does the computer he uses

mambo69

so if he is not goign over the internet connection limit then what is it? to many calls or to many texts?

surfbabe10

mambo69 wrote: »

so if he is not goign over the internet connection limit then what is it? to many calls or to many texts?

Yes its calls and texts

smcaul

I'm sure it will be calls and/or texts that are doing it!! 1Gb of data on a BB is a large amount, as BB's compress the data so use less then comparative smart phones!! With virgin, if you dial 789 from the phone then select option 1 you can get an up to date balance of what is left on the monthly tariff, that should help keep an eye on things during the month!! Maybe check it every evening, if he is getting close to or goes over his allowance then take the phone off him for the rest of the month!!! (not trying to teach you how to bring up your own child, I have enough issues with my own two!!!!) ;o)

He might just learn to keep control of it himself them, especially if when you have the phone you answer all his texts, phone calls and emails for him, the shame and embarrassment in that alone should see him start to change his ways lol.

pimento

Can't he use BlackBerry messenger?

Alter_ego

Maybe this is one reason why you cannot have a contract till age 18

easy

Well I've got an 11 year-old, and much as I love him and trust him, I wouldn't give him a contract phone, they simply don't have the nouse to work out how many calls/texts will take them over the contract limit, (to be fair, I think even I'd lose track, if I didn't HATE using a mobile phone ).


I have a thread running on a similar subject, as it happens https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3205278

Look, it's no good saying you can't switch him to PAYG, that will be the only way to control the spending. Once his allowance is gone, it's gone, and you don't top it up until next month. He wants more credit, he earns pocket money and buys it himself.

In your shoes, I'd switch the contract sim/BB to someone else in the family, and give him a more appropriate model on PAYG

(jeez... my mind boggles at a 12 year-old with a blackberry anyways ).

smcaul

In actual fact BB's make a great phone for teenagers, the BlackBerry Messenger is a great way for them to message their friends and send picture and voice files without incurring additional costs such as MMS/sms charges. I think it is the parents being more scared of not understanding the technology that causes problems rather then the kids!!!