Wireless Support

Usage Controls is an easy- to-use service that puts you in control of your child’s cell phone. For only $4.99 per month, Usage Controls enables you to:

• Set allowances for voice and messaging usage. Receive a text alert when the allowance has been met.
• Restrict voice, messaging, and data services during designated times of day or days of week.
• Block calls and messages with up to 20 numbers you choose.
• Block calls to 411 Directory Assistance.
• Block incoming calls from numbers listed as private, restricted, and unavailable.
• Create a list of trusted numbers (wireless or landline) that can always communicate with the controlled line regardless of other set restrictions.
• Customize the settings for each controlled line on your account.

Usage Controls provides you with peace of mind that your child is responsibly using his/her cell phone and reduces the risk of unexpected charges on your wireless account. Please see additional information on various types of blocks available.

Feedback

Verizon Wireless Nationwide Calling Plan customers with Unlimited "Mobile to Mobile" and Unlimited "Nights & Weekends" and up to 10 lines of service with supported devices can subscribe to Usage Controls. Please sign in to the Usage Control website to subscribe and configure your Usage Controls. Customers must register for My Verizon. Usage Controls is not available to corporate liable accounts.

Feedback

Usage Controls works on most cell phones. This service requires a supported device on a supported Nationwide Plan. It does not work with BlackBerry® devices, Mobile Broadband devices such as PC cards, Push to Talk devices and select older devices. My Verizon will alert you if you try to activate Usage Controls on an incompatible device.

Feedback

Usage Controls costs $4.99 per month for each line subscribed to the service.

Feedback

Account owners can subscribe to Usage Controls by following these easy steps:

1. Sign in to My Verizon using your user ID and password.
2. Select My Services.
3. Select Verizon Safeguards.
4. Select Parental Controls.
5. Select Usage Controls and go to the Profiles Tab. You will see the phone numbers in your account.
6. Select the line(s) on your account that you would like to subscribe to Usage Controls.
7. Accept the terms and conditions and click Submit.
8. Set desired voice and messaging allowances, blocked numbers, and/or time restrictions for the selected line(s).
9. Add phone numbers to the Trusted Numbers list, allowing communication regardless of other set restrictions.

Feedback

Usage Controls settings may work while roaming within the United States. When making a call while roaming, the user will be prompted to dial the calling party’s number a second time.

Available messaging and data services may work the same as in the Verizon Wireless coverage area. Usage Controls may not work when the user is roaming internationally. Calls by the user while roaming in the United States cannot be placed to an international destination (a phone number with more than 10 digits) and the call will not be completed, however, users can receive calls from international destinations which will be billed according to your plan. Additional services such as #MIN (check minutes), #DATA (check data & messaging), #BAL (check balance) or #PMT (make payment) are not supported when the user is roaming.

Feedback

Changes to the Usage Controls settings can be made at any time and as often as you like. The changes may take a few minutes from clicking “Submit” to become effective. Note the minute and/or messaging allowances may be set lower than the current usage in the current month. The user will receive an alert indicating they’ve reached their allowance and will be billed for all usage, including overage charges.

Feedback

Usage Controls subscribers can only send text, picture and video messages to 10-digit phone numbers at this time. If the distribution list contains an address that is not a 10-digit number, the entire message will be blocked. The Usage Controls subscriber will need to remove the non-10-digit number from the list and resend the message. Similarly, you cannot send messages from an email address to a Usage Controls subscriber.

Feedback

Yes, you can set an allowance for the number of billable voice minutes your child uses. When your child reaches the allowance, a free text message will be sent to your child’s cell phone and to your cell phone indicating that the allowance was reached. Once this allowance is reached, your child will still be able to use their cell phone to place or receive calls. You will be billed for all minutes used in accordance with your plan.

You cannot set an allowance for Unlimited National Mobile to Mobile Calling (Verizon Wireless phone to Verizon Wireless phone) minutes or Unlimited Night & Weekend minutes.

Feedback

Yes, you can set an allowance for the number of billable text, picture and video messages your child can use. Mobile to Mobile Messaging does not count towards the allowance if the child has Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Messaging. When your child reaches the allowance, a free text message will be sent to your child’s cell phone and to your cell phone indicating that the allowance was reached. Your child will not be able to send or receive messages once the messaging allowance is reached unless they are:

• Sending or receiving messages to designated Trusted Numbers
  -OR-
• o On an unlimited messaging plan or a plan with Mobile to Mobile Messaging (Verizon Wireless phone to Verizon Wireless phone).

You cannot set an allowance if the child is subscribed to a plan or bundle with unlimited messaging. Please note: Mobile IM version 3.0 and higher is not compatible with Usage Controls. If you have Mobile IM 3.0 or higher, you will not be able to access or use instant messaging. If you wish to access and use Mobile IM 3.0 or higher, you must unsubscribe the affected phone number from Usage Controls. Please see additional information on various types of blocks available.

Feedback

• Unlimited Night & Weekend minutes and Unlimited National Mobile to Mobile Calling (Verizon Wireless phone to Verizon Wireless phone) minutes do not count towards the allowance and allowances cannot be set for these minutes. Messaging allowances cannot be set if you have a plan with unlimited messaging.
• If your messaging plan includes unlimited mobile to mobile messaging, messages with other Verizon Wireless customers will not be counted toward your allowance.
• Premium messages will not be counted toward allowances or restricted. A separate Premium Messaging Block can be added.
• Please note: Mobile IM version 3.0 and higher is not compatible with Usage Controls. If you have Mobile IM 3.0 or higher, you will not be able to access or use instant messaging. If you wish to access and use Mobile IM 3.0 or higher, you must unsubscribe the affected phone number from Usage Controls.

Please see additional information on various types of blocks available.

Feedback

Yes, Usage Controls does not restrict your child from calling or receiving calls from 911. In the event that your child dials 911 from his/her cell phone, Usage Controls voice restrictions will be automatically suspended until the Account Owner reestablishes the settings for that line of service. All voice, messaging, and data usage will be billed in accordance with the applicable plan, feature, or bundle. Additionally, your child can call and send messages to/from the other phone numbers in the Trusted Numbers list regardless of Time Restrictions or Usage Allowances but you will be billed for all minutes and messages in accordance with your plan, feature or bundle.

Feedback

If your child places a call to 911 from the network of a carrier with which Verizon Wireless does not have a roaming agreement, it is not technically feasible to provide callback capability from the public safety entity (PSAP) back to your child’s cell phone. Verizon Wireless is taking proactive steps to minimize this occurrence by seeking roaming agreements broadly with many carriers, but cannot expect to arrange such agreements with all carriers. This limitation is not due to technical constraints or limitations within the Usage Controls service but rather a limitation of the Verizon Wireless cellular service in general. For additional details, please see the Verizon Wireless domestic roaming FAQs.

Feedback

The Account Owner and the controlled line will receive a free text message alert when your child reaches their voice minutes and/or messaging allowances. Usage Controls will also notify the controlled line with a free text message to alert them when they are 15 minutes or 15 messages from reaching the allowance.

To change the line that is designated as the Account Owner Cell Number:

• Sign into My Verizon.
• Click on the My Profile tab.
• Choose Edit under Account Owner Cell Number.

Feedback

Yes, Usage Controls is flexible and you can choose to set different Usage Allowances, Time Restrictions, Blocked Numbers or Trusted Numbers for each line. You can modify the settings at any time by accessing your account through My Verizon.

Feedback

No, Usage Controls currently does not provide support for managing allowances for data services such as browsing the web or downloading ringtones at this time.

Feedback

Usage Controls will not block these types of services. Verizon Wireless provides Account Owners with free features to block access to these services. You can turn off select data services by following these steps:

• Sign in to My Verizon.
• Select My Services.
• Select Verizon Safeguards.
• Select Parental Controls.
• Select Usage Controls.
• Choose Service Blocks.
• Select Add/Remove Service Blocks.

Please see additional information on various types of blocks available.

Feedback

No, Usage Controls currently does not provide support for managing allowances for data services such as browsing the web or downloading ringtones at this time.

Feedback

Yes, Usage Controls enables you to designate and block up to twenty 10-digit phone numbers from communicating with the controlled line via incoming our outgoing voice, and text/video/picture messages.

• You cannot block numbers that are within your account.
• You cannot block numbers that are on the Trusted Number list.
• You can block all incoming calls from numbers listed as private, restricted, and unavailable.

You may also want to get more information on blocking telemarketing calls using the National Do Not Call Directory.

Feedback

Yes, you can choose to block outbound calls to 411, 1411, #411 and *411. Calls to (NPA) 555-1212 will still be allowed and will be billed in accordance with the applicable plan, feature or bundle. To block specific (NPA) 555-1212 numbers (example: 312-555-1212), enter the specific 10 digit number with the area code into the blocked numbers list.

Feedback

• A number on your blocked numbers list will still be blocked even if they’ve enabled caller id blocking, as long as the number is recognized by the Verizon Wireless network.
• If you’ve chosen to block all private/restricted/unavailable numbers, any caller using caller id blocking will be prohibited from contacting the controlled line.

Feedback

Yes, you can set up to 10 restricted time periods for each child on Usage Controls. If you are traveling to a destination in another time zone, the Usage Controls Time Restrictions must be set for the new time zone.

Time restrictions can help you control the following:

• Voice - Calls are stopped during restricted times. Your controlled line will only be able to communicate with designated Trusted Numbers or 911during restricted times.
• Messaging - Time restrictions will restrict the user from sending or receiving messages. During Time Restrictions, your controlled line will only be able to send or receive text, picture, and video messages from designated Trusted Numbers. You cannot restrict premium messages (messages that a user pays an additional charge to receive, such as sports alerts or content such as wallpaper.) These messages will continue to be delivered even during restricted times.
• Data - During restricted times, your controlled line will not be able to download content such as ringtones or games, or use applications, such as Mobile Web. All data services will be unavailable during the restricted time, except for Family Locator, VZ Navigator, and BackUp Assistant. Time Restrictions cannot block V Cast Mobile TV and will not prevent use during any established timeframe.

Of course, numbers on the Blocked Numbers list are always restricted from calling and messaging with your child.

Feedback

Yes. Controlled lines can be located and will generate Scheduled and Arrival & Departure Updates, even during time restrictions.

Feedback

Time Restriction settings may not work on devices with "always on" data connections (such as the Android devices) and may not restrict data usage regardless of whether you have established a Time Restriction for one or more of those devices on your account.

Feedback

Trusted Numbers can include 10-digit wireless or landline numbers. Communication between Trusted Numbers is always allowed, however, all voice, data and messaging usage will be billed in accordance with the applicable plan, feature or bundle.

Voice usage associated with non-Verizon Wireless Trusted Numbers will count toward Usage Controls allowances, unless calls are placed during free calling periods (i.e. nights & weekends).

All messages (except those associated with Mobile to Mobile messaging) will count toward Usage Controls allowances.

Feedback