Mobile phones - can you switch off web surfing?

[clumsymum]

I probably should be able to work this out, but I suspect one of you will know in a trice

DS (age 11) wants a new mobile phone. He has an old handset, which is just a phone, whereas he wants camera/MP3 etc. His granny wants a phone that is JUST a phone. So she will buy him a new (cheapish) phone, and have his.

Now, as I pay his top-ups, I don't think I'll want him web surfing with it cos I assume that will eat credits - it's also a matter of parental control of what he accesses. So, is it possible to block or turn off the web access feature on all/some phones or networks?

We're currently thinking of a nokia 2220 or an alcatel OT-708 on the O2 network.

Any advice gratefully accepted

[Halcyon]

You can most of the time turn web surfing or data roaming off on the phone hand set but he will probably work out how to turn it back on.
Maybe find a company that does not have internet access in the package.

[Stuart]

It probably doesn't help much, but most mobile networks already have a "net nanny" type service that blocks most dodgy (adult) websites anyway. They tend to restrict them by default unless the account holder contacts them to verify they are over 18..

[clumsymum]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

You can most of the time turn web surfing or data roaming off on the phone hand set but he will probably work out how to turn it back on.
Maybe find a company that does not have internet access in the package.

If we turn it off, and tell him why, he won't turn it back on. He knows he'll get the phone taken off him if he does

Originally Posted by Stuart

It probably doesn't help much, but most mobile networks already have a "net nanny" type service that blocks most dodgy (adult) websites anyway. They tend to restrict them by default unless the account holder contacts them to verify they are over 18..

Thanks for telling me that Stuart. So it's just the financial aspect of him having Internet access that I have to worry about. I just think he'll be permanently out of credit if he uses Internet services on the phone.

[weesteev]

Might be worthwhile looking for a tarrif that includes web browsing, even some PAYG efforts from O2 these days include web data as part of any top up.

[Kymmy]

Simple answer is YES, you can turn off or just misconfigure the data aspect of all phones.. That though does also mean that email, facebook, twitter and other stuff will also be off.

It will depend on the phone which is the best way to do it..

[Matth]

It's not a huge credit eater - 1p per 3k capped at £1 per day, max usage 50MB
Since that £1 limit will be reached at only 300k, the danger is having background apps that trickle a bit of data all the time, as they really will bleed your credit.

Those "per day" rates work well if you are going to hit it hard on the odd day, while the lowest bolt-on (£3 per month for 100MB) is better for tricklers.

Alternatively, Text & web gives a free 500MB and 300 texts, for a £10 topup

More to the point, if you are ok with the standard filtering, the simple answer is, "You've got so much credit for the month, if you spend it all, that's it for the month".

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Matth

It's not a huge credit eater - 1p per 3k capped at £1 per day, max usage 50MB
Since that £1 limit will be reached at only 300k, the danger is having background apps that trickle a bit of data all the time, as they really will bleed your credit.

Those "per day" rates work well if you are going to hit it hard on the odd day, while the lowest bolt-on (£3 per month for 100MB) is better for tricklers.

Alternatively, Text & web gives a free 500MB and 300 texts, for a £10 topup

More to the point, if you are ok with the standard filtering, the simple answer is, "You've got so much credit for the month, if you spend it all, that's it for the month".

This is no use for the OP, but, as a light phone user on O2 PAYG, I tend to be on text and Web for a couple of months, topping up £10 a month, giving me free texts and 500mb web per month. Once you've built up enough credit, you drop down to the £3 of £6 bolt-on depending on your needs. When credit runs out, you go back to text and web, build up credit etc.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by clumsymum

I probably should be able to work this out, but I suspect one of you will know in a trice

DS (age 11) wants a new mobile phone. He has an old handset, which is just a phone, whereas he wants camera/MP3 etc. His granny wants a phone that is JUST a phone. So she will buy him a new (cheapish) phone, and have his.

Now, as I pay his top-ups, I don't think I'll want him web surfing with it cos I assume that will eat credits - it's also a matter of parental control of what he accesses. So, is it possible to block or turn off the web access feature on all/some phones or networks?

We're currently thinking of a nokia 2220 or an alcatel OT-708 on the O2 network.

Any advice gratefully accepted

If you get the Nokia 2220 from Virgin Mobile you get £15 airtime, unlimited texts and 1 Gb broadband.

Phone : http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/viewP...ductId=3126269

Tariff : http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/gener...iff.shop.sm285

[clumsymum]

Originally Posted by Masque

If you get the Nokia 2220 from Virgin Mobile you get £15 airtime, unlimited texts and 1 Gb broadband.

Phone : http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/viewP...ductId=3126269

Tariff : http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/gener...iff.shop.sm285

Ah, I omitted to mention that we are looking at O2 simply because my husband's work phone is on O2, and DS has been getting free calls to O2 numbers on the PAYG tariff. So if he calls his Dad, it doesn't cost me anything - and Dad gets the job of going to pick him up or whatever

Went into the O2 shop yesterday. According to the chap in the shop, if we change the settings on the phone so it can't connect to t'internet, the network will just download new settings to connect it again (HOW, if it can't connect ??? ) IF he's right, then I'm a bit .

It also seems that if we wanted to allow DS to have SOME web access, we could have a £10 PAYG tariff which limits the data access, and doesn't allow web access to use up all the credit. BUT that then wouldn't include the free calls to other O2 phones

Blimey this is soooo complicated.

As I'm currently on Vodafone (but was considering changing to O2 when my contract expires), I went in there too. It seems they can't offer a suitable PAYG tarriff, but suggested that I get him a contract, which would offer 900 mins, some texts (can't remember how many) and UNLIMITED data for £15 a month. But that commits me to £15 each month (currently a £15 top-up can last him 6 or 7 weeks during term time), and gives DS the opportunity to become addicted to his flaming phone - which sounds similar to your suggestion Masque, altho at least yours would be a PAYG tariff.

oh crikey this is hard !!