Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Verizon Launches 'Just Kids' Plan With Smart Family Parental Control Subscription Included

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,483
37,746



Verizon today announced a new cellular plan that's designed for kids, with parental controls built in that will help parents keep track of their kids' activity.

verizon-just-kids.jpg

Just Kids includes Verizon's Smart Family Premium parental controls (a $9.99/month value), which lets parents keep track of where their kids are, limit screen time and time spent online, and set content filters through one app. The plan also includes 5GB of 4G LTE data, unlimited talk and text to 20 parent-approved contacts, and an automatically enabled "Safety Mode" to prevent surprise overages.
"At Verizon, we take pride in being a true partner to parents by providing them with products and services designed to meet their needs in an ever-evolving and often confusing technology landscape," said Angie Klein, vice president of marketing at Verizon.

"With Just Kids, we're leading the way on growing up with tech, providing parents with plan options and features that give them the peace of mind they need for safe and responsible phone usage."
Click to expand...
The new plan is also part of Verizon's mix-and-match system, allowing users to choose a different plan for each family member, including Above Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, Go Unlimited, and Just Kids. To get Just Kids, at least one line on the account needs to be on one of the Unlimited plans, and then you can add Just Kids at $55/month with two lines, $45/month with three lines, or $35/month with four lines.


Verizon updated its Smart Family app in the spring of 2018 as a rebranding of its previous "FamilyBase" parental controls product. Besides location tracking and content filters, parents using the app can also check the battery status of their kids' phones, look at a summary of their text and call activity, and more.

Article Link: Verizon Launches 'Just Kids' Plan With Smart Family Parental Control Subscription Included
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/02/verizon-launches-just-kids/
You too can help VZW alleviate their network congestion by paying for the right to restrict their heaviest users. No no, think of the children! This is a feature. That’s why they include spyware - I mean parental tracking.
 
Can you give a modern example of a slippery slope?
TimUSCA said:
Keeping tabs on what your kids do in the digital world is not helicopter parenting. There's obviously a line, but not staying informed at all with what your kids are doing online is just irresponsible parenting.
Click to expand...

If you are catching your kids doing something bad you are already behind. I appreciate “trust but verify” but prefer “trust than grant retractable freedoms.”
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Hemingray
ikramerica said:
It sounded intriguing until $55/month (really $65 with fees). Add in a phone and you are easily over $1000 a year for a kid phone.
Click to expand...
It's not really $55 a month...if you already have 3 lines on Go unlimited, the total cost to add a line comes out to $5 per month. If you already have 4 lines and are adding a 5th, then the net cost is $35 per month.
 
Markgnyc2 said:
It's not really $55 a month...if you already have 3 lines on Go unlimited, the total cost to add a line comes out to $5 per month. If you already have 4 lines and are adding a 5th, then the net cost is $35 per month.
Click to expand...
Let’s do the math: unlimited plan with 2 lines (parents) $65/Line, total $130. If you add 2 additional lines to the plan - let’s say 2 kids - it’s $40 per line, total $160. So each additional line is ($160 - $130) / 2 = $15
Or you can choose to add the 2 lines on their amazing kids plan, where the only think amazing is the cost: $55 PER LINE!
Case closed!
 
UnusedLoginID said:
Let’s do the math: unlimited plan with 2 lines (parents) $65/Line, total $130. If you add 2 additional lines to the plan - let’s say 2 kids - it’s $40 per line, total $160. So each additional line is ($160 - $130) / 2 = $15
Or you can choose to add the 2 lines on their amazing kids plan, where the only think amazing is the cost: $55 PER LINE!
Case closed!
Click to expand...
What are you taking about?

If you have 2 parents and 2 kids. That’s $40 per line for parents and $35 per line for kids. That’s $150. (So $10 extra per kid)

The only time it’s $55 is if you only have 1 parent and 1 kid.

That’s $65 for parent and $55 for the 1 kid.
 
Last edited:
The chart is very confusing:

Just-Kids-plans-chart-2.jpg


Translating into incremental cost for adding a line, I get:
  • above unlimited: $95 1st line, $85 2nd line, $30/each for line 3 and line 4
  • beyond unlimited: $85 1st line, $75 2nd line, $20/each for line 3 and line 4
  • go unlimited: $75 1st line, $55 2nd line, $20 for line 3, $10 for line 4
  • just kid: $75-95 for 1st line (must be adult), $15-35 for 2nd line, $25 for 3rd line, $5 for 4th line
 
crisss1205 said:
What are you taking about?

If you have 2 parents and 2 kids. That’s $40 per line for parents and $35 per line for kids. That’s $150. (So $10 extra per kid)

The only time it’s $55 is if you only have 1 parent and 1 kid.

That’s $65 for parent and $55 for the 1 kid.
Click to expand...
Exactly right...
 
MatthewUT44 said:
Perfect deal for helicopter parents everywhere!
Click to expand...
And unfortunately necessary. In the not so distant past, at least you felt your child was safe from creeps when they were home/with you, but now they can find digital ways to get into your child’s bedroom, the backseat of your car, your child’s school, on vacation/holiday, etc. Smartphones have become Trojan horses for both adults and children alike.
 
crisss1205 said:
What are you taking about?

If you have 2 parents and 2 kids. That’s $40 per line for parents and $35 per line for kids. That’s $150. (So $10 extra per kid)

The only time it’s $55 is if you only have 1 parent and 1 kid.

That’s $65 for parent and $55 for the 1 kid.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I totally misunderstood the “lines” statement and thought it made reference to kids lines only, irrespective of the number of adults lines on unlimited data. You’re correct.
 
nutmac said:
The chart is very confusing:

Just-Kids-plans-chart-2.jpg


Translating into incremental cost for adding a line, I get:
  • above unlimited: $95 1st line, $85 2nd line, $30/each for line 3 and line 4
  • beyond unlimited: $85 1st line, $75 2nd line, $20/each for line 3 and line 4
  • go unlimited: $75 1st line, $55 2nd line, $20 for line 3, $10 for line 4
  • just kid: $75-95 for 1st line (must be adult), $15-35 for 2nd line, $25 for 3rd line, $5 for 4th line
Click to expand...

I stopped when they tried to have 3 different definitions of "unlimited"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back