By Verizon Wireless are making their family location service accessible to those on a budget as they have dropped the pricing for Family SharePlan accounts. For a fixed rate of $9.99, you are able to keep track of any line on that specific account. Before, users had to pay $9.99 per line, something that could get really pricey with more than two or three lines.
Verizon’s Family Locator allows you to be notified whenever the people on your line (children, perhaps) go to certain locations, and you can even get turn-by-turn directions to where they are (requires VZ Navigator, a service you have to pay for). Go ahead and sign up now that the cost is lower than it ever has been.
Verizon Wireless’ Family Locator: Same Great Service Now Available for Only $9.99
03/20/2012
Verizon Wireless customers on a Family SharePlan can now add Family Locator to all lines on the existing account for only $9.99 per month. Staying in touch is a must when families are busy juggling schedules that include sports practices, carpools after-school activities and science projects. With Family Locator, the simple and secure service from Verizon Wireless, parents stay informed in real-time of their kids’ whereabouts when they might not have the time or chance to connect live. Now available for one low cost, families get all of the same features to help them keep up with any family member on the plan.
Family Locator is accessible from phones and PCs, and parents or account owners can set up alerts that let them know when their kids have taken their phones to different locations. With interactive maps and the integration of VZ Navigator®, customers get turn-by-turn directions to the address where their kids are located, making pick up a breeze. A subscription to VZ Navigator is required for integrated use, and data charges may apply for download and use of the app.
Family Locator also features recurring or one-time alerts that can be sent to multiple recipients via phone or email so each member of the family can be automatically reminded of upcoming school plays, doctor appointments or other can’t-miss activities. Want to see how the service can work for you? Check out the Family Locator video on the VerizonWirelessTV YouTube™ channel.
Family Locator is one of several tools in the Verizon Safeguards suite of products that help Verizon Wireless customers manage the use of wireless devices and data usage on their accounts. A new video from Verizon Wireless entitled “How To: Manage Usage With Usage Controls from Verizon Wireless,” gives customers step-by-step directions from Verizon Wireless representatives on how to manage their families’ wireless usage.
Free alternative=Google Latitude, might not have all the bells and whistles like verizon has but you can see where your friends and family are.
Yeah, but they can manually set their location, or turn off sharing. This service does not allow either of those situations. Makes more sense for parents wanting to keep ties on their children.
This is not worth $9.99/month. There are other free/cheaper services. I’m glad I’m a single, child-less man who doesn’t even need to consider such nonsense.
Having kids doesn’t mean you have to become paranoid. if you can raise kids you can trust, it turns out you don’t actually have to treat them like felons.
It also doesn’t make you an irresponsible parent if, at any given second, you don’t know *exactly* where your children are.
Thank you! My parents took that approach to raising me, and I think I turned out well. :)
Serial Killers think they “turned out well”.
…just sayin’. ;-)
like i said it “MIGHT NOT HAVE THE BELLS AND WHISTLES LIKE VERIZON” its free, and plus keeps your bill at a lower price. -_-
One step closer to big brother and new world order. Although this family locator service can be used for good, you know people are going to use this tool for all the wrong reasons.
Just use Google Latitude for Free. Will work on any smart phone on any provider. Works great. I’ve been using it for over 2 years now.
Yeah, but with Latitude one can manually set their location, or turn off sharing. This service does not allow either of those situations. Makes more sense for parents wanting to keep ties on their children.
Yes, you are correct. But then again… The person you are tracking can just turn off their phone and say their battery died. Nothing is perfect.
Of course, you could always make sure your children know there are consequences for shutting off their location services.
…or you could, ya know…trust your children. ;-)
I’d go with the second one. My parents have always trusted me and given me the freedom to do what I wanted to do. I didn’t feel the need to go out and try to defy them… I’m 18 & at the top of my class. My parents have never told me to “go do my homework.” Don’t be such a stalker… :P
Well, I will admit to telling my kids to do their homework, but thankfully, I have yet to feel the need to put the equivalent of tracking anklets/collars on them. ;-)
As an aside, or qualification: There are some children with special needs/some situations where I am *sure* such tracking would come in quite handy….my comments above are more directed at the “average”, not anything outside what would be considered the norm…
This was supposed to be a reply. Ignore me!
How can you ignore a post by someone with an avatar from Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! ?