Useless Usage Controls

[Defjr333]

For some reason, I am unable to dictate or control the amount of Data usage on my daughters cell phones that are on my family plan. I have signed up and am being billed for usage controls. They unfortunatly only allow you to control air time amounts, text amounts, and times the phone can be used. There is no way to control the amount of data/ web usage on the teen's phones. This is un-acceptable. At&t has is, as do other companies. To be told by Verizon call center, that I cannot control their data, and should get the unlimited data for $20 more is aggregious. Verizon knows that the number one thing teens are doing on their phones are data related. Facebook, etc. I have been told a "Supervisor" will call in 24-48 hours. This is yet another major issue, with At&t I received much better responses when trouble occured. I thought Verizon was going to be as good or better. So much for that thought. They force you to put data plans on phones even if u dont want or use those features. All so they can get another $10 a month, and you cant control the usage without constantly reviewing it online. This is how they milk us for more money at the $.20 a Meg rate. If I am not re-assured that these controls will be available to me, I will have no choice but to write a detailed article on usage controls of the major carriers, and how far Verizon lacks there-in. I have decided to give this the same time frame of 24 to 48 hours......I am starting my research now, as I dont have that warm fuzzy feeling with Verizon at this point. Any input from the fellow Community would be appreciated.

[Defjr333]

Here I am 3 days later.............No suprise that I have not received a phone call back in reference to this issue. I guess I did the right thing in pre-empting the research on the horrible customer support, billing, "usuage controls", and mandated data packages. I have gathered quite a bit of info from this site alone, as well as many others. I have spoken to a handfull of verizon wireless customers with similar, and much worse issues that a company that cared about its customers would have addressed. So now I shall sift through all this data, and write a nice little story about verizon wireless for all the wireless review sites, and if all goes well, chanel 7's Seven on your side. I have been lied to, misrepresented, and duped. I do not lay down at adversity, I get more energized. So this looks to be the start of a Big Story....atleast to me. Obviously not Verizon. They have already shown they could care less.

[LeonardM]

" the number one thing teens are doing on their phones are data related. Facebook, etc."

Hi Def Jr.,

One way to prevent data usage overage is to place them on the C7 Content Filter. That prevents them from any social networking website.

Good luck

[Defjr333]

Thank you for the C7 setting info. But unfortunatly that will not suffice for what I need to do. I have already sent copies of my story and experience with Verizon to 4 local TV news companies, aprox half a dozen cell phone provider rating web sites, JD powers, and many friends. I will continue with my efforts untill I get a response that I was promised, and still have not received. This is by far the worst company I have ever had to deal with, and I have plenty of extra time to spend on this. Next stop.....BBB. So plug away I will untill I am satisfied or just move to a different provider.........Probably back to AT&T, where I was treated like a customer should be.

[marco770]

I have been watching your postings and am desperate to limit my child's access to Facebook and online chat rooms.  He is not getting any sleep.  Have you been successful?

I am paying for parental controls but then i cannot block a web domain like facebook.

I have set time limits on calls but my child is still on the web well after the time limits are enforced.

I am at the last resort.  I have learned that no matter what control I have, the child is clever enough to bypass it.

I have an angry child, a sleepy one, and one who is not focused.  The only answer after spending all this money is to just to take the phone away.

If anyone can help me understand this mess please respond.  I have spent hours trying to figure out VZ content filtering versus their usage controls vs. their parental controls.  They seem to conflict with eachother.  I am anxiously awaiting a response.

Kindly,

a loyal VZ customer who needs some help

[marco770]

I am so upset I am shaking.  I am willing to pay for additional services to keep my sanity in place.  My effort is to limit my  15yo teen's access to certain sites, to be able to locate him, and to allow him to get some much needed sleep..I have done the following:

Mistake #1--bought him a Droid (buy one get one free) 

To enable control of his web and text usage I have done the following:

Set time limits to when he can get and receive calls and send texts--this does not limit his use of web-based instant messaging like Facebook and Twitter--So my efforts at limiting his texting in the wee hours of the morning have been overridden by text access via the web-based sites.  The control that I now have in place costs $4.99 and is helpful but not foolproof--I am not upset about paying the premium, I need help controlling the texting via web access from domains like Facebook and Twitter. 

I have discoverred that the only way to limit web access to these social sites is to set content filtering to age 7.  This severly limits his access to the web including the ability to download free apps from the Android store. He dearly loves his Droid and its usefullness.  But he desperately needs to focus (like when in school) and he needs his sleep. 

I have had several unsuccessful attempts to tweak monitoring.   I note that usage controls and content filtering interferes with the Service Blocks that I would like to use on his account.  If I could use Spam blocking, then I may be able to block the Facebook domain and other web domains that allow my child's access to instant messaging especially after I have paid for the service to 'shut down' his phone access after certain hours.  Is this possible?  Can I block Facebook and Twitter via spam blocking?  But Verizon does not allow me to  use Spam blocking if Usage Controls and Content filtering is in place. 

It would be nice for VZ to block ANY access to the phone with the exception of trusted numbers and domains during certain designated times. I am willing to be Verizon's biggest cheerleader if you will help me understand this. 

Meanwhile, I have a sleepy, distracted, angry child caught in the throes of learning responsible behaviors in spite of Verizon's success with the fabulous Droid.  If you can help a frustrated yet caring parent understand how to successfully monitor a teen please let me know.  I really love the Droid and am anxiously awaiting a reply.  Kindly,

[tdizzle]

I could defend Verizon Wireless as a company but you will just shrug it off just like most of you do. First thing you should have done is to raise your child with better expectations of what is and is not acceptable. Why blame a company for your own child's use of data? YOUR CHILD IS THE ONE DOING THE ACCESSING. Believe me, children do have the will power and ability to self control, IF high expectations are set. 

It isn't about adding more and more restrictions, laws and regulations against the OUTCOMES for people to follow - and ultimately break and find ways around. It's about finding and attacking the root cause, the SYMPTOM! 

[LeonardM]

@Marco

Marco you are doing a great job figuring out all the tools to help you parent.

Internet Spam Controls are not blocked if you have Usage Controls, you can still use them, it is Call & Message Blocking that you cannot utilize.

Go to www.vzw.com/spamcontrols and add the domains you want text messages blocked from like facebook.com

I believe however that your child is using the web to make those discussions rather then his or her text messages?

If that is the case I would put C7 back on so facebook is blocked for your child.

When they wish to download from the app store, then temp. lift the CF setting for the purchases.

Have them browse the Android Market on your droid, with your supervision, when they are looking for new items, then they can get them all during their download window you provide them each week.

This would prevent both the objectionable apps from being downloaded and the facebook chatting that you have had difficulty stopping.

Good luck!

[marco770]

While I am not defending myself, I can truthfully say that I have raised my child with full knowledge of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.  He is also very aware of the consequences imposed upon him when those expectations are not met.  What I cannot control is that every child that I have raised (5 in all) has tested their boundaries. They don't come into this world perfect. This is my job as a parent...

I will say that VW has been helpful in trying to understand and resolve these issues and I am very pleased with their support.  It is quite spectacular that VZ is even able to impose the controls that ARE available considering the outstanding technology that the Android delivers. 

As I understand your rant, please venture to place yourself in another mom's shoes.  I want to allow my child to experience the world of technology at his fingertips but at a parent I must monitor, check, and recheck to ascertain that he is indeed aligning himself with is expected of him.  I applaud the technology of Android, and the cleverness of my child! 

I have indeed placed a C7 content filtering on the phone which does enable him to access the web but limits his access to social websites.  I have added time limits to his phone calls with the exception of trusted numbers.  And I have blocked some phone numbers which have consistently distracted him from his responsibilities and his rest. Of course he is angry and this is expected. 

When he becomes a mature, responsible adult and has a paying JOB, then he can purchase a phone with all the bells and whistles and also be responsible for paying the bill.  Now, his phone is an earned priviledge.  If he does not get the message,  he soon will when I simply cut off his service completely.  He has been warned.

Thank you Verizon for your ear and thank you for your responses. 

Kind regards,

MOM

[marco770]

Thank you for your post and your understanding.  I will check out the spam controls settings again  but please note that I have already done this. what I have noted is if you impose Usage Controls, then the spam blocking does not work.  It is one or the other. 

I am foolish to even expect VZ to be able to block instant messaging from any site, FB, yahoo, IE, they are everywhere.  I wish I understood how, but I am satisfied that I can at least block some addresses, domains, and phone numbers.  This sends the message loud and clear, especially when my child is hundreds of miles away.

Thank you, VZ for the opportunity to post in the forums.  I feel certain that there are many more moms suffering the same dilemma! 

Kind regards,