EE becomes first major UK network to launch dedicated smartphone plans designed for under 18s
EE, the BT-owned mobile network provider, has become the first major network in the UK to offer smartphone plans designed for under 18s.
Called ‘Safer SIMS’, the new plans include network-level website content controls, protection from scam calls, spending caps and Stay Connected Data, which allows users to access essential services even after using up their data allowance.
EE is also offering in-store appointments with trained guides to offer families online safety support and practical advice for parents and carers. Guides can also offer advice on setting up device-level controls.
EE partnered with Opinium to interview 2,000 parents and children aged between 11 and 17 about smartphone use. It found that 48 percent of 11-year-olds are more likely to receive a hand-me-down device than a brand new one, EE says its Guides can reset secondhand devices and help parents set up device-level controls such as Apple Family Sharing or Google Family Link.
Guidance for families
Aiming to support parents in the UK, EE has also created ‘The P.H.O.N.E. Chat’ resources helping families discuss smartphone ownership.
The P.H.O.N.E. Chat resource was designed alongside Internet Matters to support conversations about phone ownership between parents and children. It will be made available online and inside EE stores in the coming weeks.
Carolyn Bunting MBE, Co-CEO at Internet Matters adds: “ The expert EE Guides in-store are equipped to advise on parental controls, screentime, online security and more, and P.H.O.N.E chat will signpost families to EE and Internet Matters resources on a wide range of other topics for parents to access from home. These initiatives from EE are positive steps to support families as the digital world continues to evolve and play an ever-increasing role in children’s lives”.
EE says its research found just 52 percent of parents feel they have the right tools and guidance to manage their child’s smartphone and social media use and 78 percent of children say they conceal some of their online activity from their parents.
Balancing risks and benefits
“As the UK’s best network for families, we understand that while smartphones offer many benefits to people, there are also very real risks and challenges, especially for young people. As a parent of a teenager, I too have had to balance the benefits and challenges that come with giving our children their first smartphone,” explains Claire Gillies, CEO at BT Group’s Consumer Division.
“I am proud that EE has consistently been an industry leader for online safety and today’s announcement is yet another example of our commitment to providing helpful tools and guidance to families. Our new initiatives and resources are there for parents at every stage of their child’s adolescence, so they can safely and confidently make the choice about smartphone usage that is right for them and their family.”
The news follows shortly after the launch of Sage Mobile in the UK, offering what it calls a “healthy iPhone for kids and teens” that cannot access social media, internet browsers or any algorithm-driven apps. Created by Texas-based company Techless, the smartphones are designed to support children at the start of their digital lives.
