Verizon Wireless has entered the growing list of wireless companies offering anxious parents the ability to use the Global Positioning System and a cellular phone to track the comings and goings of their children.
The carrier launched its Chaperone service today, with two levels of service: a basic GPS locator for the child’s phone for $10 per month, or both the locator plus a product called Child Zone that-for $20 per month-allows a parent to be notified when a child’s phone passes in or out of a location perimeter set by the parent.
The Chaperone service can track only the LG Migo handset, a bright green device that can be programmed with up to four numbers (one for each of its four numbered keys) and has a dedicated emergency button. The Migo does not support sending or receiving text messages. Verizon Wireless is currently selling the phone for $50 with a two-year contract. The parent can use Chaperone with 10 of the handsets that Verizon Wireless already sells, including the Razr v3c, two Samsung models and six handsets from LG, including the V device. In order to use the Child Locator service, the parent’s handset and the Migo must be part of the same family plan.
The locator function allows a parent to use either a Chaperone Web site or their handset to request the location of the child’s handset. The Migo’s screen glows blue and pops up the word “locating” when the service is being used. The Child Zone aspect of the Chaperone service allows parents to set an invisible boundary around, say, an elementary school and then set various alerts if or when the child moves outside the perimeter, according to Jamal Jones, product marketing manager for Verizon Wireless’ consumer data services. Company officials used the example of a grandmother who, although she could not request the child’s location unless she were part of that family’s wireless plan, could be alerted with a text message that the child has entered her neighborhood-as long as she also is a Verizon Wireless customer.
Location requests are not stored, according to Verizon Wireless. Dale Beasley, location-based services product manager, said that the locator service will provide a street address or intersection based upon GPS coordinates if the device is outside; if the phone is inside, the service relies on triangulation using the cellular network for location.
Customers who sign up for the service will be given some information and directed to Verizon’s Web site for the service, which will provide the bulk of the information on the product, Jones said. The page is designed to demonstrate the service and educate parents on how to program the child’s Migo and download the application that will allow them to track the child using their handset.
Verizon Wireless’ move echoes those made by other carriers and mobile virtual network operators of late. Disney Mobile, which is expected to start selling phones and service in June, built its service around the ability to locate family members and parental control on calling. Sprint Nextel Corp. also has a child locator service.
Verizon said its target audience is five to nine years old, but it may expand to older children once more handsets are available.
