T-Mobile has come up with a new way to allow parents to monitor their children, introducing what it calls the FamilyMode.
Wireless carriers are constantly battling to surpass each other and come up with all sorts of new offers, options, and perks to attract more customers to their network.
The battle of the unlimited plans is on, but that's not what it's all about. Customers might also be looking for new ways to manage their kids' mobile and online activity, and carriers are ready to help in this area as well.
T-Mobile FamilyMode
Verizon and Google's Project Fi, for instance, already offer means of keeping tabs on kids' activity, but T-Mobile is now taking things to the next level with its new FamilyMode.
First of all, interested customers who want to take advantage of what FamilyMode has to offer will have to shell out $10 per month for the extra service, on top of what they're already paying. Optionally, T-Mobile is also offering a FamilyMode hardware item, which allows people to use the service on their home Wi-Fi network.
The optional piece of hardware is called the Home Base and it will cost a hefty $100, but for a limited time T-Mobile is offering it at just $20 up-front.
What You Get With T-Mobile FamilyMode
With the new FamilyMode, customers can track their children's location, keep tabs on their mobile data and set limits if necessary, filter what content they have access to, or even grant more data as a "reward" for good behavior. The HomeBase doesn't add extra functionality, it just enables all of these options over a Wi-Fi network rather than just a mobile data connection.
Basically, T-Mobile's new FamilyMode is a combo of software and hardware that lets parents control their kids' phone and, if they also get the Home Base, keep tabs on their other screens as well.
"While the carriers' solutions only cover the devices connected to their networks, T-Mobile FamilyMode lets you manage, monitor, filter and set time limits for your kids' phones, tablets, gaming consoles, laptops, smart TVs and the other Wi-Fi-connected devices in your home... and it's just $20 out of pocket for the device and $10/mo for the T-Mobile FamilyMode app," boasts T-Mobile.
The new T-Mobile FamilyMode will become available on June 29 and interested customers will be able to get it either online, or in T-Mobile stores nationwide. To get a better idea of how it works and what it brings to the table, check out the video below.
