Getting a first phone can feel like a big step.
For children, having their own phone can bring a wonderful sense of independence — being able to call Mum or Dad after school, let someone know they’ve arrived safely or contact a family member when plans change.
But for parents, that first phone can come with a different set of questions:
Do they really need a smartphone?
Are they ready for social media?
What about apps, games, notifications and strangers contacting them?
For many families, the answer doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
A simple mobile phone can give a child the freedom to stay connected without opening the door to everything that comes with a smartphone.
Start with what they actually need
A child’s first phone doesn’t necessarily need to be able to do everything.
Perhaps they simply need to call a parent after school, contact grandparents or let you know they’ve arrived at a friend’s house.
If that’s all they need, why give them a phone with hundreds of apps and features they’ll never use?
OwnFone is designed to do something very simple: make and receive calls.
Parents choose the numbers they want their child to be able to call, and OwnFone programmes them into the handset before it arrives.
With up to 12 pre-programmed contacts, children can have the important people in their lives just a button press away.