mobile phone recommendations

[bubbles123]

hi, my daughter will be starting tiffin girls this sept. she has never had a mobile phone of her own. I have decided to purchase one for her ( so I am able to check she has arrived safely at school/she is able to call me/emergencies ...etc) not too sure which mobile to get (so many on the market and I don't want to spend too much ) I was just wondering if any parents have any recommendations as to a decent mobile and how many minutes etc would be reasonable for an 11 year old..thanks in advance

[Guest55]

Very basic PAYG from Tesco - no need for any contract at this age as it should be used for emergencies only.

[streathammum]

Yes - just get a 'brick' type phone, £20 tops, and top it up with PAYG as necessary. No camera means less likelihood of sharing of dodgy photos. Cheap and sturdy means less likelihood of it being stolen or broken - and less drama if it is.

[tiffinboys]

Yes - just get a 'brick' type phone, £20 tops, and top it up with PAYG as necessary. No camera means less likelihood of sharing of dodgy photos. Cheap and sturdy means less likelihood of it being stolen or broken - and less drama if it is.

Works very well, in theory. DC learnt within weeks that either we are too poor or very outdated.

[streathammum]

At Sutton GS, the induction pack specifies that only basic phones may be brought to school and that they should only be able to text and phone, ie not internet, no smart phones. I hope this policy is actually enforced as it will make life a lot easier.

I have friends with DDs in Y7 in Greycoat and the basic phone option seems to be accepted there. Maybe it depends on the school.

[tiffinboys]

All schools need to have this policy.

[kenyancowgirl]

I believe the "new retro" Nokia brick is being released in a few weeks - I think I saw around £50 quoted for them. They will be uber cool when they come out and relatively reasonable (in the grand scheme of mobile phones) - so unlikely to be teased about it as they will be the latest in retro chic (I quite fancy them as they have bobby dazzler colours too!) . Why not get one of those with a basic pay as you go or simple contract to start with?

[hermanmunster]

Yes - just get a 'brick' type phone, £20 tops, and top it up with PAYG as necessary. No camera means less likelihood of sharing of dodgy photos. Cheap and sturdy means less likelihood of it being stolen or broken - and less drama if it is.

Works very well, in theory. DC learnt within weeks that either we are too poor or very outdated.

You need to get kids chuckling about those spending too much on phones / too influenced by trends etc . My two Uni kids had their first smartphones last September (bricks until then), cost £20 each and on PAYG

[Tinkers]

Worth looking at giffgaff.
One thing that might be worth considering is battery life (something the old Nokia were great for) and some form of battery backup until they get used to remembering to check if they need charging. A written list of numbers is useful, so if their phone is dead, they can still contact you via a friend's phone. Personal experience here, DD has texted me from various friends' phones and various friends have used hers. She is much better now at charging it up.

DD started on a brick phone, then a basic 'smart' phone which actually didn't cost that much (Samsung galaxy young I think). Then DHs old iphone4 by the end of year 7. She still has it and is at nearly at the end of year 10. One of her friends got my old iPhone 4 at much the same time and still has it too.

I wouldn't buy her a brand new smartphone. Even now.

[Well Done]

My DD is currently in Year 11 at TGS and was recently given an iPhone 5 for her sixteenth birthday by my brother. Prior to that she had DH's very old Blackberry Bold with broken buttons and scratched screen with no wifi or what's app on it. Didn't bother her in the slightest. Initially, I was a bit concerned that she might get teased about it by other girls but nothing of the sort happened. From my experience, all the girls I have come across have been really easy going and down to earth. Sure, there are girls with the latest tech but there are plenty others for whom it is not a big deal.
Emphasis for the girls seem to be to work hard, make good friends, enjoy school trips and to experience all the school has to offer as opposed to what phone/bag/shoes/hairstyle etc you have.
As others have already suggested, PAYG with a mid price hand set is the best option, in my opinion.