Buying a mobile phone for my 11 year old son - advice required please

geek84

Hi Folks

My 11 year old son wants me to buy him a mobile phone.

Can someone please be kind enough to advice what type of phone I should buy him? He mostly want to use it to take photos and let us (his parents) know when he will be coming late from school etc.

Also, shall I get him a pay as you go phone or one on a contract?

Thanks in advance for your response.

T_T_2

There are two questions really, what phone does he want and what is your budget? The two answers may not be compatible but I'm certain that your 11 year old son already has a couple of very specific phones in mind so you should ask him what they are.

The requirements you have described (pictures and phone calls) can be achieved with a £10 basic Nokia phone, but it is unlikely that he wants this. Whichever phone you end up choosing I'd suggest that you stick to a PAYG sim rather than signing up to a contract in his name, otherwise you might find a nasty bill in the post.

Edited to add: If he is looking for a smart phone then something like the Huawei Ascend (Android) and the Nokia Lumia 710 (Windows 7) can be found for sub £90 and represent good value for money.

Guys_Dad

Really excellent advice from T_T.

I would say, however, that you should beware of contracts which can have unexpected high bills - see many, many threads on here. But Smartphones need data and the only real way to give that and control your potential costs is either with something like GiffGaff or, if you must, a capped contract from someone like Tesco or T-Mobile.

But, please, no open ended contract for an 11-year old.

spiro

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Really excellent advice from T_T.

I would say, however, that you should beware of contracts which can have unexpected high bills - see many, many threads on here. But Smartphones need data and the only real way to give that and control your potential costs is either with something like GiffGaff or, if you must, a capped contract from someone like Tesco or T-Mobile.

But, please, no open ended contract for an 11-year old.

Have to agree especially if he takes it on holiday abroad. Was on a thread on here recently were a stepson had used internet in Turkey (I think) on a contract phone and came back to a 4 figure bill.

macman

Would you give your son a credit card with unlimited credit? If 'no', then you'd be unwise to give him a contract phone.

morganedge

'Pay as you go'. I still don't have a contract phone, lol.
As for what type, it depends on how much you're willing to spend.
I have this one. Cheap and looks quite nice with a touch screen and camera/camcorder. nobody I know has one and I get a few comments from people who like it on occasion:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/T-Mobile-Vairy-Touch-II-Mobile/dp/B00486T8F0

MillicentBystander

Definitely agree with either PAYG or, better still, a capped contract. He's 11 so i genuinely wouldn't be looking at giving him an iPhone 5, lol, as that could definitely end in tears. Like already suggested, Huawei Ascend G300 sub £90 would be a good choice on account of it (not yet) being a desirable brand (less chance of someone with sticky fingers trying to acquire it) but another good thing is the Gorilla Glass is has on the screen - very tough indeed.

grumbler

I wouldn't rely on 'toughness' of the screen.
It's difficult to scratch, but very easy to break - like all big screens.
And pretty often it's the screen below the glass that gets broken in the first place.

MillicentBystander

Agreed but fact is I would rather have Gorilla Glass than not have it. Especially as in the G300 you don't appear to be paying any extra for it. having said that, I dropped my wife's G300 on our marble hearth and it survived totally unscathed. Maybe I was lucky but if this video is for real maybe not? :eek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2NYtgWYefQ

mazza111

I'd also advise when you do get him a phone, if it's one of the large screen (or any screen for that matter), to pop to ebay and buy a case and screen protector for it. Really does make a difference to the phones

geek84

Hi Folks

Many thanks indeed for your replies, so far.

Any further advice would be much appreciated.