Since mobile phones became mainstream, many parents have considered whether it is appropriate to give their child a cell phone, in case of an emergency. Sprint announced on Friday that they've now come up with a solution for this issue.
The phone company launched the WeGo phone on Friday, a $120 starter phone designed for children ages 5 to 12. This new device, which is water-resistant and durable enough to withstand at 12-foot-drop, is reportedly very simple to use, according to tech news site, CNET. On the very top of the phone is a tethered string that, once pulled, sets off a loud panic alarm and an emergency text to the parents' phones.
The device also allows parents to control who the child can call and text. In addition, parents can monitor what specific outgoing texts can be sent from the phone. Fifty message templates including "I'm at home," "I'm at school, "I am with mom," and "I don't feel well" are already preset.
The device, like many other smartphones, also has a navigation system. What's different about this child phone however, is that the GPS can alert parents if their child made it to a location on time and if the child is moving at a faster speed thatnwhat is preset (for example in the case of an abduction).
Among the phone's other features, there is a center button that when pressed twice, calls 911. There is also a 'wake alert' that lets parents know if their child is up and roaming around after sleeping.
Sprint is also offering customers a specific WeGo service plan that starts at $9.99 a month, and includes 1,000 minutes of talk and 1,000 texts.
