A boom in tools for keeping tabs on kids

For some parents, what once seemed like a frivolous accessory for the nouveau chic child has now become a necessity.

More and more adults are buying cellphones, pagers, and other wireless devices in order to stay in closer contact with their children. The demand, analysts say, is driven by mounting concerns about terrorism, and is reminiscent of how some families responded to the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School.

Uncertainty over a child's safety is much more pervasive now, and so is parents' commitment to high-tech tools. "We absolutely have more interest from parents now," says Rick Byrne, a salesman at Boston Cellular in Waltham, Mass. "Pretty much right after Sept. 11 more family plans started going out the door."

The diversity of products and prices is daunting. But perhaps less so, compared with parents' task of figuring out what suits their children's tastes.

Cellphones, for example, have become much more popular than pagers among those ages 10 to 19, according to Knox Bricken, an analyst with market research firm Yankee Group. Indeed, even before Sept. 11, this group already comprised 32 percent of all wireless users.

Popular accessories include plastic phone covers, games, instant messaging, and musical ring tones that last up to 30 seconds. (Ringing tunes by Britney Spears are a popular choice, but not, perhaps, for high school males.)

Many parents opt for prepaid cellphones that contain a limited number of minutes, thereby cutting down on excessive use. Also, prepaid phones do not require a contract, allowing the under-18 crowd to assume some responsibility by purchasing phone time themselves.

Service provider Voicestream, for example, offers 125 prepaid minutes for $25 a month. But the company's regular plan, at 250 minutes for $29 a month, is a bit more cost-effective.

Many parents have started turning to family plans, which allow up to five friends or family members to share one plan and one fee. For example, AT&T's Shared Advantage plan allows two cellphone users to share a bucket of 500 minutes Monday through Friday, and 1,000 weekend minutes for $60 a month. Add $20 for each additional user. "We've seen an uptick in people purchasing plans like this that offer family benefits," says Rich Blase, an AT&T spokesman.

The newest - and most casual - option: disposable cellphones. The first disposables, sold by Hop-on Wireless of Garden Grove, Calif., are due in stores this month. The phones offer 60 minutes of service for $30, but do not receive incoming calls, and coverage is spotty in the Midwest and South. Also, the Hop-on design, highlighted by its signature kangaroo mascot, may not appeal to older teens.

For those who struggle to place calls because of an overcrowded spectrum or lack of cellphone towers, pagers may bring reliable relief.

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