If you're a T-Mobile customer who also happens to be a parent, you may want to check out the new service being launched by T-Mo this week.
T-Mobile FamilyMode is a new way for parents to manage their kids' online activity. FamilyMode is an app that'll be available on both Android and iPhone, and there's a separate Home Base device that'll let you manage usage of non-mobile Wi-Fi devices, including laptops and game consoles.
FamilyMode will launch on June 29th. Pricing will be set at a one-time $20 payment for the HomeBase and $10 per month for the FamilyMode app.
With FamilyMode, you can set daily limits for online access, letting your kids have access to the internet from 6 pm to 8 pm every weeknight or giving them one hour of YouTube access each day. You can also reward your kids with extra screen time if you'd like.
T-Mobile's new service will also allow you to choose which apps, sites, and platforms your kid has access to. For example, you can block access to Facebook for one kid and block YouTube access for another. You can also see which apps and sites your children have been accessing on their devices. And if your kid just won't put down their phone, you can instantly pause internet access.
FamilyMode can also help you keep track of the physical location of your children using GPS, so long as they've got their phone on them.
There's been a major focus on digital wellness in mobile lately, and T-Mobile's FamilyMode can help parents teach their kids about responsible internet usage. The ability to control non-mobile Wi-Fi devices like game consoles and computers is a nice touch, letting parents ensure that their kids don't just drop their phone and switch to online gaming if they use up their phone's internet allotment for the day.
