Helium Mobile, a T-Mobile MVNO, introduces a low-cost, worry-free plan for kids
We've already told you about Helium Mobile. The T-Mobile MVNO has a free 5G wireless plan that I use on my Pixel 6 Proso that it can become a useful smartphone again instead of having to rely on a Wi-Fi connection. Of course, Google's release of Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1.1 has also helped to make the phone feel fresh and responsive. With Helium's Zero Plan, I pay nothing for 3GB of 5G data, 100 minutes of calls, 5GB of hotspot data, and 300 texts each month.
Today, Helium announced a Kids Plan that it calls Sprout. Kids get their own wireless line for only $5 per month and their parents stay in control. Helium says that 51% of children eight and younger own a mobile device and Sprout is the wireless plan made for them. The plan requires that the child use a device he or she already owns. This is a brilliant move by Helium because, in a stressful situation, the child won't have to go fumbling to find a person's number and make a call or send an emergency text on a new device.
-Coco Tang, General Manager of Helium Mobile Subscribers
Switching to Helium is a snap with the MVNO's Concierge Service. Helium's agents will contact your previous carrier making it easy to switch. As Helium says, Concierge Service makes the transition to a new wireless provider "smooth and disruption-free."
With Sprout, parents won't have to worry about their kids running wild through the internet. Parents can "manage the account, set boundaries, approve usage, and monitor data directly from their phones." And Helium points out that unlike its Zero Plan, which is available only to those 18 years of age and older, the kids are not included in the anonymized location data that Helium collects.
Sprout includes:
Nationwide 5G coverage from T-Mobile 's low-band 600MHz nationwide 5G network.
's low-band 600MHz nationwide 5G network. 3GB of data + unlimited talk and text allowing the kids to make calls and texts without worrying about going over a limit.
Flexible family management – Parents or guardians have control over the account which allows them to place limits on data use.
Upgrade anytime to other Helium plans such as Air (10GB for $15) or Infinity (unlimited data for $30). Both plans still give parents or guardians full control over the plan. Kids can earn Cloud Store rewards which can be turned into gift cards for top national brands. Of course, the parents have the last word over which cards their children can choose. Control comes through the Helium Mobile app available for iOS and Android.
Helium Mobile introduces a plan made for kids. | Image credit-Helium Mobile
Sprout is the perfect first plan for kids. If you have your child wield a smartphone for emergencies or to check in with you over the course of a day, Helium's Sprout plan, priced at $5 per month, could deliver the piece of mind you want at a price that makes this a no-brainer. Switch to Total 5G+ Unlimited 3-Month plan or Total 5G Unlimited and get a free iPhone.
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