Best phone deal for a child

[simon]

Whats the best pay as you go mobile deal for the lads first mobile?

He'll only have a few numbers to call. Just not sure which one to go for. I guess DNA could be good but not too sure about the details.

[pseudo]

Whats the best pay as you go mobile deal for the lads first mobile?

He'll only have a few numbers to call. Just not sure which one to go for. I guess DNA could be good but not too sure about the details.

It should depend upon how long the duration of the calls totals up at the end of the month. If just a few tenner minutes, 0.069/minute DNA scheme will be good. That's what I have, DNA Onni!?. Monthly fixed rate is 0.66 cents/month. But bill comes once in a three month unless it exceeds 20 euroes.

By the way, these salespeople are good at explaining their products and what might be best for you once you tell them how long calls gonna be.

[interleukin]

I know that at least DNA has a subscription form where you pay less to other people who are also on the DNA system. My bf and I have this as most of the calls/sms we make are to each other. If the kid will mostly call a few numbers, it might be worth to make sure they are on the same system as his.
Another thing to think about would be (depending on how likely the kid is to click on random links in spam sms messages) is to get the phone locked for any pricey extra things.

[Pursuivant]

The best deals is whatever you have other in the family in your contracts - and its easier on them to make the restrictions on the service numbers etc.

[maxxfi]

Did you have a look at the prepaid-with-contract DNA Arvo?
I think it has reasonable rates, the monthly fee is 0€ and being a prepaid if your kid is not too careful
with phone usage, you won't have nasty surprises with the bill.
But as others have already said, check also on which operator are those 'few numbers to call'.

[simon]

tanks.

[Mikie]

I personally use Saunalauti and with them I can call anyone else on the Saunalauti/Elisa networks for free. Basic service is under 15€/month I believe. So if you are on the same network as your child, they would have unlimited calls to you and your family.

[DMC]

So if you are on the same network as your child, they would have unlimited calls to you and your family.

A question for parents: do your children mainly call you and your family or do they mainly call/text their friends?

[simon]

The best deals is whatever you have other in the family in your contracts - and its easier on them to make the restrictions on the service numbers etc.

eh

[JimmyBang]

... My wifes kids both got phones this year, 7 and 9 year olds...lost the phone first, twice!...and most recently learned from an older friend how to purchase pepsi with them...17 euros worth of Pepsi! (in one day!) , so i'd be sure to check all the "settings" when you hand it over to the lad

[Pursuivant]

eh

You have a contract, right? Unless you have a company phone if you have a "family contract" you can get all the phones into a "ring"... depends on the carrier some have good deals like kids can call virtually free to moms and dads numbers and also you can restrict stuff...

[simon]

eh

You have a contract, right? Unless you have a company phone if you have a "family contract" you can get all the phones into a "ring"... depends on the carrier some have good deals like kids can call virtually free to moms and dads numbers and also you can restrict stuff...

ok, nice. I have a company phone but the wife has her own so will look into that.

[simon]

Here's my 2 cents worth having had a child with a phone for the past 3 years..

I'm so thankful that I opted for a pre-paid for my very forgetful son. He got his first mobile at 7. Lost that in 3 or so months. Got a 2nd phone (my old one) and lost it for a few days after 3 or 4 months. During this time, someone had used up all the saldo but we got the phone back. My lesson in this one was to only load 10 euros at a time. Phone number 3 was crushed under my car. He's now on the 4th phone and he's had it for nearly a year.

10 euros lasts him over a month..in fact it can be 6-7 weeks. It's really the cheapest rate for us and if he looses it (and doesn't tell me as he did the last time!), there's very little harm that the person who finds the phone can do. When the saldo is gone, it's gone. He learned, too, that the consequence of playing on Habbo is that he has no calling time left for a number of weeks. I've told him the 10 euros must last a month. I know I can block him from calling certain numbers if we subscribe to a calling-plan with a "real" number but he learned his lesson last year and hasn't used the saldo for anything other than calls and SMS's. He fully understands the word "budget" and he knows what happens in reality when he exceed his budget.

We've checked the family calling plans but again he doesn't use enough time to make it worth-while, yet. When he gets older, I'm sure the monthly balance will increase but for now, a pre-paid works for us.

Thanks Cory good info there, I think Ill be going down the same road as you.

Do you mean the pre paid cards you can get from r-kioski?

[Pursuivant]

I've been using www.gomobile.fi, it gives you some topup time when you register & easy to top up on the net as well.

[Vesper]

[quote="simon]
Do you mean the pre paid cards you can get from r-kioski?

Yup. R-kioski is the (one?) place to get the card. I load it on the website when needed. They have a school special on at the moment. I think the cost of the card is 4.90 and there's 6 euro of calling time on the card so it pays for itself + a little.[/quote][/quote][/quote]

those pre-paid card chip things are great! my ex-boyfriend gave me one when I lived in Finland. It lasted me the whole 2 1/2 months I lived there. I only used it for emergency calls.