Best way to lock down a teens phone with Android? MetroPCS Fierce XL prepaid minutes?

[markm75]

We are about to embark on giving our teen a phone.. at least in the wifi sense use at first, maybe phone use soon there after.

Currently we are on MetroPCS for our regular two lines..

The phone we will use for them is a Fierce XL smartphone... i think i could also unlock this for other networks, i'd like to find a minute by minute plan where i only add minutes and no data for emergency calls only.. metropcs doesnt appear to have this.

In terms of android.. what do most people do to lock down the phone.. how do you handle installing apps?

Im not sure the best plan of action.. ie: i have apps i've paid for already under my account.. i'm thinking when i sign into the phone i should use my email address i have for my other phone/store account ? Then lock the store app down so they cant make further purchases?

Or do people use a kid email and somehow get the adult purchased apps on after?

Then in terms of lockdown.. what do most do..

I saw an app called FamilyTime.. which has good ratings.. i'm assuming i install this even on my phone, then on the teens phone clicking add device and setting lockdown parameters from their phone.. im hoping from my phone in the app i can then view reports and change settings from there..

Any thoughts and experiences out there?

Thanks in advance

 

[mhinc]

We are about to embark on giving our teen a phone.. at least in the wifi sense use at first, maybe phone use soon there after.

Currently we are on MetroPCS for our regular two lines..

The phone we will use for them is a Fierce XL smartphone... i think i could also unlock this for other networks, i'd like to find a minute by minute plan where i only add minutes and no data for emergency calls only.. metropcs doesnt appear to have this.

In terms of android.. what do most people do to lock down the phone.. how do you handle installing apps?

Im not sure the best plan of action.. ie: i have apps i've paid for already under my account.. i'm thinking when i sign into the phone i should use my email address i have for my other phone/store account ? Then lock the store app down so they cant make further purchases?

Or do people use a kid email and somehow get the adult purchased apps on after?

Then in terms of lockdown.. what do most do..

I saw an app called FamilyTime.. which has good ratings.. i'm assuming i install this even on my phone, then on the teens phone clicking add device and setting lockdown parameters from their phone.. im hoping from my phone in the app i can then view reports and change settings from there..

Any thoughts and experiences out there?

Thanks in advance

I would not recommend using the active email address you are using on another phone, this would only lead to issues.
Also you may want to look into setting up a restricted profile on the Android. This link should help you understand what it does and how to do it.

How to set up parental controls on Android - How-To - PC Advisor

 

[markm75]

I would not recommend using the active email address you are using on another phone, this would only lead to issues.
Also you may want to look into setting up a restricted profile on the Android. This link should help you understand what it does and how to do it.

How to set up parental controls on Android - How-To - PC Advisor

I had actually seen that article, but i dont think it applies to phones, the setting up of user accounts (marshmallow, etc).

Without using an active account, that forces everyone to pay multiple times for games/apps does it not? Or do most just login with the primary google store account, use it, install, then remove the account?

 

[anon(632115)]

I had actually seen that article, but i dont think it applies to phones, the setting up of user accounts (marshmallow, etc).

Without using an active account, that forces everyone to pay multiple times for games/apps does it not? Or do most just login with the primary google store account, use it, install, then remove the account?

No it is not just phone related. BTW Marshmallow is a version of Android, not a user account.

You will need to set up an account on the phone and make sure it is one you have access to and can monitor. You will not be able to use apps purchased on another account that has been removed. If you are concerned about the price of apps you will have to weigh that up against your child's safety.

 

[markm75]

No it is not just phone related. BTW Marshmallow is a version of Android, not a user account.

You will need to set up an account on the phone and make sure it is one you have access to and can monitor. You will not be able to use apps purchased on another account that has been removed. If you are concerned about the price of apps you will have to weigh that up against your child's safety.

I'm saying in Marshmallow, i dont see the option to add users (no users menu) in the settings (gears).. or maybe i'm just missing something.

 

[anon(632115)]

Ah! Go to settings>accounts, scroll to the bottom and "select "add new"

 

[markm75]

Ah! Go to settings>accounts, scroll to the bottom and "select "add new"

Ah yes, i had seen account.. but that just adds new google, or samsung accounts etc, not really a "user profile" per say.. I could always do this on wiping the phone by just using their gmail i have setup already which i monitor i suppose.. not sure how that would differ.. i may still be misunderstanding.

Is the family time app not worth exploring (in addition)?

 

[gammerthumbs]

My wife and I used to use my mobile watchdog. Very nice and displays everything your teen does on their phone. I think it cost $7 per line. But you can block everything and manage everything

 

[anon(632115)]

Ah yes, i had seen account.. but that just adds new google, or samsung accounts etc, not really a "user profile" per say.. I could always do this on wiping the phone by just using their gmail i have setup already which i monitor i suppose.. not sure how that would differ.. i may still be misunderstanding.

Is the family time app not worth exploring (in addition)?

I don't know about such apps. My son is 31. He keeps an eye on me these days

 

[mhinc]

Ah yes, i had seen account.. but that just adds new google, or samsung accounts etc, not really a "user profile" per say.. I could always do this on wiping the phone by just using their gmail i have setup already which i monitor i suppose.. not sure how that would differ.. i may still be misunderstanding.

Is the family time app not worth exploring (in addition)?

This is how you set it up correctly

How to Use Android 5’s Restricted User Profiles for Basic Parental Controls

 

[Keith Bryant]

@markm75
I personally using FamilyTime parental control app for last six months and very happy with the performance. I can control my teen's cell phone in much better way. I am enjoying the phone lock, track sms, location history, app blocking, monitor web history and many more features.

I will recommend you to use FamilyTime app. I already given the positive review about that app on google play.

Thanks.

 

[Ry]

This may sound archaic but any reason to just get a regular (dumb) phone instead?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

 

[markm75]

This is how you set it up correctly

How to Use Android 5’s Restricted User Profiles for Basic Parental Controls

I still dont see this anywhere with v6.x.. just accounts.. nothing about restricted profiles.. etc, seems to be a tablet thing, not a phone thing

 

[markm75]

@markm75
I personally using FamilyTime parental control app for last six months and very happy with the performance. I can control my teen's cell phone in much better way. I am enjoying the phone lock, track sms, location history, app blocking, monitor web history and many more features.

I will recommend you to use FamilyTime app. I already given the positive review about that app on google play.

Thanks.

Thanks for that input.. do you also just use generic gmail accounts, not your main one and pay for apps on their phone via that one (twice basically).. i'm thinking i may just put a generic multiple kid gmail account on both phones, pay for their apps via this and lock it down (still paying twice but not 3 times).

 

[markm75]

This may sound archaic but any reason to just get a regular (dumb) phone instead?

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

The reason being is we have these phones and will use them as their mini game phones mostly, rather than buying tablets.. with the 9 year old, no need for phone ability just yet, it will be a glorified 5.5" mini tablet.. for the 13 year old, maybe prepaid "emergency" minutes only (unsure how ill do that with metropcs based phone, guessing unlock it and get some 3rd party prepaid minutes that works on it, this being the Fierce XL phone).

 

[mhinc]

I still dont see this anywhere with v6.x.. just accounts.. nothing about restricted profiles.. etc, seems to be a tablet thing, not a phone thing

It's not just a tablet thing. It's a phone thing. I have it on my Galaxy S6 running Marshmallow. Not sure why you are not seeing it, but it's a PHONE thing,

 

[Keith Bryant]

@markm75,
I think you can use same gmail account on both phones. I will advise you to contact their customer support to clear all your confusions. I am very happy with their customer support.

 

[markm75]

It's not just a tablet thing. It's a phone thing. I have it on my Galaxy S6 running Marshmallow. Not sure why you are not seeing it, but it's a PHONE thing,

At least on my s7 edge + marshmallow, its not there, just accounts.. no user profile creation options.

 

[mhinc]

At least on my s7 edge + marshmallow, its not there, just accounts.. no user profile creation options.

Looks like it was removed from Marshmallow

 

[anon(166548)]

Just recently when going in to Play Store on my phone, they have been advertising "Family Library" that allows you to share apps among up to 5 family members. It's still showing up as one of the ads in Play Store (I just looked). You might click on the "Learn more" link and see if that would work for you.

This is in response to the statement that you would have to buy another set of apps for your teenager's account, not in response to the discussion of multiple user accounts.