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Family Allowances seems to be some kind of joke
I'm looking into Family Allowances because I want to restrict my 10yo daughter from using her phone until early hours of the morning. She seems to be addicted. We take it away from her in the evenings, but she quite often finds it (she's very intelligent and sneaky). We tell her she isn't allowed to use it at night, but she seems driven to use it. So I decided to look into just shutting down her ability to use it.
I've heard from other parents that they can restrict all accesses based on time schedules (with their providers). T-Mobile doesn't seem to have that possibility. After reading through Family Allowances it seems it can only restrict calls and messaging? That is useless for this situation.
I read this in T-Mobile's family allowances description:
Schedule
- You can allow or block when your children (managed lines) can use their devices during predefined time periods, such as during school (9 a.m.-2 p.m.), during homework or dinner time (4-9 p.m.), or when they should be sleeping (9-11 p.m. and 11 p.m.-6 a.m.).
This indeed makes it sound like the "device" can be restricted, but this appears to be an outright lie based on everything else in the description. Everything else only talks about calls and messaging. Blocking the use of their "device" would mean everything can be blocked, not just calls and messaging.
Does T-Mobile have the ability to "allow or block when your children (managed lines) can use their devices" as described, or are they far behind other carriers in this area?
Just so I'm on the same page with you @rglaus, are you looking for something that'll block the devices built-in functions to be blocked? Our Family Allowances is designed to restrict the phone from using services on the network. Unfortunately, we don't have a feature that we offer if you're trying to block them from accessing the phone's internal features.
Hey, @smplyunprdctble!
Your read is correct -- the app must be installed on the parent line's device and all of the devices that they wish to manage. The parent line does get a notification on their app if the app is removed from a child line's device. You're right -- it's a start! I know this isn't the place for a deep convo about personal parenting styles (I mean, what is, really?) but speaking as a parent I think it's better to think of FamilyMode as a parenting tool -- I think you're right that families will still need to have their own conversations about what their rules are and why the app is on a device in the first place.
I hadn't heard of the router scenario you mentioned, that's interesting!
I have said the very same thing, some have voice their opposition to my suggestion. I replied back stating, how I thought it was funny how they could stand up to me using a keyboard, but not their own children. I'm like you, when I disobeyed my parents I learned real quick there was consequences for my actions. They do make dumb phones, I'm willing to bet after a few times of using a "dumb" phone they will think twice about using their phones during times they are not supposed to. A point of note none of my children started out with I-phones or A-Droids they all started out with a Bar(dumb)phone and had to earn getting a touchscreen or what the latest and greatest was during that time period. .
Marissa,
Am I reading this correctly in that the app needs to be installed on the controlled phones as well?
That's probably not exactly a "solution" to a lot of these problems as kids are smart enough to uninstall or disable apps if they realize "Oh hey -- that's what's keeping me from getting online!" -- the solution needs to be at the network level.
Routers are now being designed with the ability to turn off devices (or groups of devices) at the network level - no way around it because it's hardware address. I think T-Mobile's solution needs to similar -- where a family can block access at the level where savvy kids cannot uninstall apps. If I'm correct in my assumption that the app is required on the child's device, the workaround is way too easy.
(Yes, there's the additional monitoring parents should do on their kid's phones, so this is a "start", but it's not particularly what I feel [as a parent of only the fur kind of kids] should be the solution T-Mobile would have brought to this request.)
Hey, all! We're going through older posts with this feedback and making sure that everyone gets a chance to take a peek at our new family program, FamilyMode, launching 6/29. You can read our blog about it here and learn more in the Resources list at the bottom: Meet the digital ally parents need -- thank you for sharing your opinions with us!
I am having the same issue and every time I call they say it’s working fine! This add on is a rip off!
yes. I'm in the same situation. Called T mobile N+1 times and they can never resolve this issue.
I have a problem access to a Family Allowance, Kept said "
We are currently having trouble with your request. Please wait a few minutes and try again."
Here the picture screenshot. It have been since 2 months and WTF I want this get damn fix ASAP so i can put limit schedule for my daughters
during the school week such like 10pm or 11pm cut off all voice, text and data via LTE and I have parent control on my Internet router. Any solution and I need get this fix ASAP. CMON T-Mobile why am I paying you freaking family allowance $5 dollars. STOP focking stealing my $$$ if it doesn't work. FIX IT
-Trev
I agree that T-Mobile Family Allowances is a joke... I have tried it twice on my son's phone and both times it did not work for what i wanted to do: stop his ability to download data to his phone at specified times or all together stop. Even if one set the data allowance to "0 MB" or "1 MB", the system will tell you that this line is over the limit, but it does not stop the download.
I've also tested the time restrictions on messaging and calls. The interface only allows preset time periods such as 9 am to 2 pm or 4-9 pm or 9-11 pm or 11 pm to 6 am... IN THEORY. In practice, i've found that after i set the limits, my son reported that his phone was not working then it was supposed to work, and sometimes working when it was not supposed to work... Let alone the issue that we'd like to be able to select the times ourselves, rather than having preset times...
Then i also tested the "Always allowed numbers" : phone numbers that would not be blocked such as being able to call your family... It did not work, according to my son. He could not call me, even after the numbers had been set up as "Always allowed".
So twice i had to ask T-Mobile to remove Family Allowances from my account, and get me a refund, which they gladly did with an apology...
What works to restrict kids time on phone is to install an app called " Our Pact"on your phone and your child's phone. See www.OurPact.com. Friends use it, and it does the job nicely... provided your kid lets you install this app on his/her phone. Once it's on, i heard it cannot be removed without parental permission.
Good luck!
Yeah TMobile! We want to be able to block DATA. and we want to be able to do it REMOTELY by logging in to the website! ALSO We want to be able to see the domains they are visiting AND be able to link blacklist and whitelists to the accounts!
I agree with you they are a joke! If they can find a way to shut a phone down for non-payment, and immediately bareconnect upon payment, they sure as hell could manage this very basic control. They want our kids addicted, the jerks.
