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Broadband and mobile operator EE (BT) has today confirmed that their new mobile plans for children under the age of 18 – called “Safer SIMs” – are now available to take, after being soft launched a few weeks ago (here). The plans form part of the operator’s commitment toward “being the UK’s best network for families“.
All of the Safer SIM plans include unlimited minutes and texts, pre-set parental control options (these can’t be switched off), “Stay Connected Data” (stay online after you’ve used up all your mobile broadband data, albeit at a speed of 0.5Mbps), “Data Gifting” from a trusted adult’s EE Mobile allowance, “Scam Call Protect” to identify spam and scam callers, a block to stop premium calls and charge to bill purchases, and short 30-day (monthly) contracts.
In addition, alongside their 30-day monthly plans, EE has also launched a “Pay As You Go” plan called the ‘Guided plan‘, which despite being classed as PAYG will still cost £9 a month for 500 minutes and texts, 2GB data at 25Mbps speeds, strict parental controls, and it also excludes roaming.
The Safer SIM Plans
Protected plan
“A plan for your child’s first digital steps out on their own.”
£7 a month
➤ Just enough data to use maps, message and share locations (0.5Mbps speeds by default, although Data that is gifted to a child on this plan will have a max speed of 10Mbps).
➤ Strict parental controls.
➤ EU roaming is available.Guided plan
“A plan to help you build more trust as your child grows.”
£10 a month
➤ 3GB data at 10Mbps.
➤ Moderate parental controls by default.
➤ EU roaming is available.Trusted plan
“A plan for when your child is ready for more independence.”
£15 a month
➤ 10GB data at 100Mbps.
➤ Moderate parental controls by default.
➤ EU roaming is available.
Given how much youngsters use social media, online gaming and streaming, these data limits seem positively archaic and trying to use the internet – even on a mobile device – once that data is consumed (at a speed of 0.5Mbps) can be a challenge. Even many modern websites can easily gobble 25-100MB+ (MegaBytes) on a single page, which is to say nothing of all those mobile app updates you need; but home WiFi may help with this.
The mobile operator is supporting the new plans by introducing ‘The P.H.O.N.E. Contract‘, which is a free customisable agreement (document) that parents and children can use to set boundaries around smartphone behaviour. The document covers topics including screentime, phone curfews and other situations when smartphone use is not allowed, as well as tools to monitor usage. It has been designed to feature input from both parent and child, ensuring young people feel heard in the decision-making process and can understand the rules being set.
We should point out that the big mobile operators already offer network-level content filtering controls and tech-savvy parents will no doubt already be able to figure out how to setup a Smartphone to be safe for their children, without needing to take out a special mobile plan. But clearly that knowledge isn’t going to be universal, and this is where EE’s new plans may help to simplify.