Family Locator Problems
WinShoppe
Newbie

We just started using Family Locator a few days ago.     Although we have properly set up locations and related alerts, we are not receiving any notifications at all, either via text or e-mail.   Additionally, when locating my son's phone, we never get a "refined" location, just a general area.    So far, this service is a total disappointment and waste of money.

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Re: Family Locator Problems
AntonioC_VZW
Verizon Employee

WinShoppe wrote:

We just started using Family Locator a few days ago.     Although we have properly set up locations and related alerts, we are not receiving any notifications at all, either via text or e-mail.   Additionally, when locating my son's phone, we never get a "refined" location, just a general area.    So far, this service is a total disappointment and waste of money.



Hi WinShoppe,

 

I'm sorry to learn our Family Locator feature has not met your expectations. Please ensure that you have properly set your notifications for the phones you want to monitor. 

 

Family Locator permits you to set up 10 Arrival & Departure Updates. To access the Arrival & Departure Update Wizard, go to the Family Locator website and select the "Updates" tab. Then click on the "Add Update" button.

Within the Add Update Wizard, click on the “Add Arrival & Departure Update” button to be guided through the process to add an Update. Using a one mile boundary (options are 1/2, 1 or 2 mile) provides the most reliable notification results.

Arrival and Departure Updates send location messages when the person carrying the Locatee cell phone arrives or departs from a Location that you specify.

 

While the feature is intended to provide location with a certain degree of accuracy please note the disclosure at the bottom page of our Family Locator Product states that Verizon Wireless does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information, including location information. Please feel free to visit the Family Locator page online for more details on this feature.

 

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Re: Family Locator Problems
WinShoppe
Newbie

Hello Antonio -

The locations and updates are set up properly, yet we are not receiving any alerts at all either via text or email.   We have tried it using different boundaries, and also have deleted and re-entered locations and re-added updates.   We have visited the Family Locator page many times, and have not found any useful information or a solution.     As far as accuracy, we have tested with the locatee phone (idle) in front of me, and it is "located" 10-15 miles away.  We have to click on "Locate" several more times to get a location that is even in the area.    Not once since we added the service have we ever had a "refined" location.

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Re: Family Locator Problems
WinShoppe
Newbie

Update:  Spoke with VZ support last week - no resolution.  A "trouble ticket" was created, but nothing has been done.    To date we still have only received two alerts, instead of the 10-16 per day we should receive.   Additionally, we have never once received a "refined" location.   Verizon - what you are you going to do about this?      I am sure you are taking my money - where is the service you sold us?

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Re: Family Locator Problems
vanessas_vzw
Verizon Employee

Good morning WinShoppe!  I would be very frustrated if a feature I am being billed for is not working correctly!  I am very sorry this issue has not been resolved for you.

 

It seems as if the phone is not retrieving or sending the correct location information; therefore, it isn't the network or the feature.  To have this resolved, it is best to take the phone into your nearest store location to have a technician look at it.  If necessary, get you a replacement device.  For a store near you, please select this link .  

 

Thank you,

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Re: Family Locator Problems
Billboy
Newbie

I had the same problem starting a few months ago and spent a lot of time on this topic. (There are several earlier posts on this subject.)   It may be the phone, it may be the service, it may be a lot of things.  I talked to a number of support staff at verizon and they all gave various suggestions (I changed phones a couple of times) and none of the suggestions worked. There is certainly a problem, but it appears Verizon support does not understand why the service--which used to work great--has not worked properly for 6 months or so.  I suspect verizon contracts out this service and doesn't directly control how it works.  I wish verizon spent 1/2 as much time trying to fix this service as they do trying to switch me to FIOS.  It is precisely because of this lack of service from verizon that I won't switch to FIOS.  I just don't trust them to correctly troubleshoot problems when they arise.

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Re: Family Locator Problems
troyhoff
Newbie

I was having the same problem with not getting refined locations. When I first enabled Family Locator, it worked great. Then, it stopped giving me refined locations. It turns out that it was because I had set up a 24x7 time restriction block to revoke my son's phone privileges. He broke the rules, so he lost his phone.

 

Anyway, once I disabled the time restriction in usage controls, I got the refined location again. It says that family locator will still work with time restrictions in place, but that's apparently not true. So, what I do now is temporarily disable the time restriction, locate the phone, and then turn it back on.

 

So, if you also have usage controls, you might want to try this.

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Re: Family Locator Problems
WinShoppe
Newbie

Thank you for the post.   We have also still not been able to resolve the issue.    The phone is deemed to be capable, and working properly, yet the service does not work as outlined.    For instance, in the past week we have received only one notification; a location arrival notification almost two hours after the actual event.    We have not received one other notice, nor have we achieved a single refined location to date.   I agree with your sentiments regarding Verizon's service and the lack of knowledge and understanding of the problems.    We may just give up and request a refund.   

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Re: Family Locator Problems
WinShoppe
Newbie

Thank you for the tip regarding usage controls.     Family Locator worked one time when we first enabled the service, and has not since.   We do not have any restrictions in place, so that is definitely not the problem.    If you discover anything else, please post.

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Re: Family Locator Problems
resherw
Newbie

I have used Verizon Chaperone since the first week it was available years ago.  The system worked great and was very accurate.  I had it setup to work close to flawlessly.  However, since the last few "upgrades" it is now worthless.  We have completely stopped receiving any text notifications and the accuracy is now worthless.  I've tried to get help but I have never talked to a Verizon Rep that even had a clue about how the system worked and they always blamed my setup or my hardware.  I had it setup to work flawlessly before the software became Family Locator instead of Chaperone.

 

 

As of yesterday I gave up and canceled my Family Locator service since it has completely stopped working (actually  stopped working about 6-8 months ago). 

 

 Please bring back the older Chaperone software that worked.  Reading the blogs here and other places, it is clear that Verizon isn't supporting this feature anymore.   This is a great service for those of us with young kids..... Please fix it.

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