Kajeet gives kid- and parent-friendly cellphones
updated 03:10 pm EDT, Mon March 19, 2007
Kajeet Kids Phones
Appealing to the rapidly expanding number of children who want cellphones, Kajeet has recently launched as a new cell carrier in the US. The company says that it understands the intelligence of children and gives them access to as many features as possible while still giving control to parents. Phones with the provider support both AIM chats and SMS texting rather as well as calls, and come with a set of stickers to help personalize their looks.
Pay-as-you-go service is the key to keeping the activity in check, Kajeet says. Calls are 10 cents per minute, while SMS texting is 5 cents; a web portal lets parents create virtual wallets to prevent children from overrunning a daily limit and to let parents top up an account if necessary. It's also possible to set 'blackout' periods when the phone can't be used at all, the provider says.
More typical controls are also to be found in the service, with blocked numbers and other restrictions to prevent calls from unwanted strangers. Kajeet is available now with the Sanyo Katana (pictured), LG LX150/225, and Nokia 6155i as phone choices between $50 and $100. Parents must pay $7 per month for AIM and a daily 35-cent usage fee, though cancellation comes at no charge. [via MobileCrunch]
