Mobile tots in kinder surprise
PARENTS are giving mobile phones to children as young as preschool age, with fears kids will dial up exorbitant bills driving an appetite for prepaid deals.
With Christmas drawing near, mobile phones are expected to be a popular present choice among parents.
New data from financial comparison site finder.com.au found a majority of parents (71 per cent) are looking at prepaid plans to avoid their kids running up high costs.
Only 29 per cent of parents were considering signing up kids to a postpaid plan where the costs are tallied at the end of the month by the telco.
Telstra Foundation head Jackie Coates said it was common for “young preschool kids” to have their own device.
“It’s a personal choice, it’s up to parents on what device they want,” she said.
The finder data also found many children with smartphones (42 per cent) are getting a hand-me-down, with only 36 per cent getting a new phone purchased outright.
About 17 per cent received a phone with a contract.
Father of two Jon Slade is looking to buy his Isabel, 10, a phone for Christmas.
“My daughter might get a phone to be a bit more independent and she’ll be able to call her mum and dad,” he said.
“We’ve chatted to her about her getting a phone, she’s been asking to get one.”
Mr Slade said he was yet to decide whether to buy her a brand new device, but was likely to opt for a “low-end plan”.
Finder’s tech spokesman, Alex Kidman, said parents should think twice before buying rough-playing kids an expensive phone.
“There are plenty of entrylevel devices that are very good between $300 and $400 and even some of the sub-$200 handsets are surprisingly decent.”
But he warned about playground phone envy.
“Competition in the playground can often lead to kids not wanting to have a ‘lesser’ smartphone than their peers.”
He suggested parents stick to prepaid plans.
Telstra provides a free service for its users that can restrict how kids use their phones.
This includes blocking unwanted calls and texts, choosing web content that be accessed and managing outgoing calls.