EE has announced their team up with Konnie Huq and the EE Youth Council to launch THE P.H.O.N.E. Contract.
EE is known as the UK’s best network for families and have now established a free customisable agreement that both parents and children can use to set boundaries around smartphone behaviour.
Coming at a peak time for back-to-school preparations, the new P.H.O.N.E Contract has been developed with insight from thousands of UK families to produce a new under 18s smartphone plan – Safer SIMs – and in-store online safety appointments.
Approximately 3.8 million families are set to debate the ground rules of their childrens’ smartphone use this summer, and two fifths (43%) of parents are intending to buy their child a handset ahead of the new academic year by mid-to-late August. This means that the EE P.H.O.N.E. Contract has been made available at the perfect time.
The inclusion of the newly formed EE Youth Council, parent ambassador Konnie Huq, the not-for-profit organisation Internet Matters, and thousands of families across the UK, have allowed EE’s new Contract to be developed with a wealth of insights on smartphone usages.
It is designed to feature input from both parent and child, where a fully customisable document from the EE website can be downloaded which covers topics including screentime, phone curfew and other situations when smartphone use is not allowed. This addition will ensure that young people feel heard in decision-making and can understand the process of setting rules – whilst parents are also able to monitor their usage.
After conducting research from these resources, it was revealed that there are clear communication gaps over technology use, and many family flashpoints around smartphone boundaries and safety.
It was found that 9 in 10 adults (93%) argue with their children over smartphone use, while 39% of parents and 31% of 11-17-year-olds believe clearer guidelines over their devices and social media use would reduce family friction.
EE have made conditions around the amount of daily smartphone use a key part of their new Contract as research has found that screentime can be a sore subject for family, with over half (53%) arguing about it at least once a month. By specifically pinpointing this, it will ensure that families can put specific limits on screentime, and set a switch-off time for devices in place.
More of the key stats from this research found:
- 50% of family disagreements include children using their phone late at night, and 47% are about children being distracted from schoolwork due to their phone.
- Just over half of parents (51%) would be happy with a national smartphone usage for under-16s, rising to 63% for kids under 13.
- Of those who support the curfew for under-16s, 70% of adults want it to be 9pm at the latest. With it reaching 81% when considering a curfew for under-13s.
TV presenter and EE’s Parent Ambassador, Konnie Huq, has two sons aged 11 and 13 and has backed the new contract.
“All parents know how daunting it can feel to hand over more responsibility to your child. With a smartphone, you’re excited to give over increased independence, but the risks can be a worry. EE’s P.H.O.N.E. Contract enables parents to agree rules with their children and have conversations that they might never have had otherwise. It’s all about creating a framework where families can feel confident about their digital lives.”
The downloadable P.H.O.N.E. Contract has come at an exciting time, in conjunction with a couple of other new online safety appointments by EE.
A new suite of smartphone services are rolling out across EE stores, EE telesales and ee.co.uk now, and are available for parents and their children. *EE’s new ‘Safer SIMs’ is an affordable under 18s smartphone plan designed around different levels of independence.
These plans feature in-built parental controls when using the EE network, and have been designed to be used in conjunction with app-based parental controls and iOS and Android device-level controls, as well as WiFi and broadband controls. EE is offering the choice of three new 30-day SIM-only plan options starting from just £7, as well as the option of a pay-as-you-go plan.
They are also offering new online safety appointments in store, with expert EE Guides trained not only to give advice on setting up device level controls, but also in giving online safety, personalised support and practical guidance.
Finally, EE have created a digital resource, in association with Internet Matters, to provide extra family guidance. This is called ‘The P.H.O.N.E. Chat’, and provides up-to-date information on online safety and advice on how to navigate discussions around responsible smartphone use.
Director of Mobile Product at EE, Malcolm Cubitt, comments: “As parents prepare to give their children their first smartphones, our new free P.H.O.N.E. Contract has been designed to help both them and their child to agree boundaries on smartphone behaviour in a way that means everyone is fully engaged with the process.
“When combined with our new Safer SIMs and in-store online safety appointments, as the UK’s best network for families, parents and guardians can be reassured we are here for them to get the practical guidance, tools and advice they need.”
