I've been watching mobile phone development including GPS tracking integrated in devices for a couple of decades....and this is what I have learned.....get your child either a GSM phone or a watch (such as those shown off on the page a little while ago or a Doki watch or a ownfone)
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dokiwatch/dokiwatch-the-worlds-most...
There are numerous options out there now.
Basically get them a basic phone sooner without all the apps in order to teach them how to use the phone.
Add mum and dads numbers siblings grand parents and family members and give it to them to either help deal with living in two home (separation) or just to keep with them on their way too and from school, when out with friends, at birthday parties, when at places like the zoo or the regional show etc. Something which includes tracking is excellent. Something they can wear either on their wrist or on a lanyard around their neck works well.
It takes ALOT to establish the habit of them taking it with them and keeping it charged.
So start early because I will take you years to establish.
You want to be sending and receiving small messages. Making and receiving phone calls. This is teaching them how regularly to communicate....let me know you got there safe.....let me know you are safe....a big dog scared you? Do you need help are you OK? Do you want to be picked up? More often the answer is "I am ok I want to stay it was just really scary and I wanted to let you know" and off they will go doing their thing after letting mum know it was frightening but I am ok!
You DONT need something that locks other numbers out....*hand on heart* just be careful who you give the number out too people don't randomly call numbers trying to predate on kids. Just make sure you tick the box that tells the provider to not list the number in the white pages ok.
We have never gone with prepaid. The reason for this is if there is ever an emergency I want them able to make outgoing calls. Bills be damned. I don't want them to find they cant call for help because they have no credit. So they have always had phone contracts. Its only been since smart phones we have had any data issues....but thats for learning later in high school years....for now in primary school stick to a basic GSM we are learning about having a using a mobile phone and how to communicate and stay in touch with the people that matter...
Dont wait until they are old enough to go to the park with their friends before giving them the phone. Until they have been taught how to use it they wont consistently have it with them and charged enough for it to be of benefit in the way you are expecting. This is why you start early with a basic phone without the distractions.
About $20 a month contract serves them more than amply with room to spare.... $10 a month and you will start getting excess bills which cost you more than the difference in plan....I'd rather pay the extra $10 than get bill shock.
Through all their years in primary my kids NEVER gave their school mates their number. ...and it wasn't due to being told not too....they didn't know their own numbers they continued to use mum as their receptionist because it was mums mobile number they knew off the top of their head.
Leave smart phones for high school. bill shock from youtube use may be a problem but there are ways and means to cap data usage on most devices.
High shool they will likely need a laptop....and a smart phone....the advanced scheduling, reminders, gps tracking and applications like pink pad, google maps, (now melbourne has ptv data integrated) myki apps you will be thankful for.
And they will rack up that youtube data in music class during discussion of contemporary music....with of course examples for their class of the favs. .....
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