Disappointed with Smart Limits

[geekjon]

I am new to Smart Limits, but after reading about it, and watching the demo, I thought it sounded like a useful feature for my daughter's phone. Her mom and I were mostly interested in the "Time of day" restrictions for school time and bedtime. We enabled Smart Limits last night, and tested out all the different settings.

Unfortunately it that this feature is pretty much crippled by the fact that incoming calls and text messages still get through to the phone during restricted times. This doesn't make any sense at all. She will learn soon, if she hasn't already, that she simply has to tell her friends, "After a certain time, I can't call you, so you should call me." I find this flaw in Smart Limits extremely asinine. This would be simple enough for AT&T to implement if they had any desire to give their customers what they wanted. I know that I am not the only one who feels this way.

[cmwinner]

I think they probably have it set that way, incase you set the block during school hours, or at night, and she isnt home, and you need to get ahold of her, it will allow you to still call her and wont be blocked by the time of day restrictions.

[geekjon]

I don't believe that theory is correct, because that is what the "Allowed Numbers" list is for.

[cmwinner]

That what theorys are for.

[graphite07]

simply do not add the number you do not want her calling and her phone wont call it or text it. you have ot check the box to turn on blocked calls. its working for me ok.  just do not add the number to her allowed list and add the number to her blocked list and that Number will not get thru.

[geekjon]

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graphite07 wrote:

simply do not add the number you do not want her calling and her phone wont call it or text it. you have ot check the box to turn on blocked calls. its working for me ok.  just do not add the number to her allowed list and add the number to her blocked list and that Number will not get thru.

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I understand that I can add a number to the blocked list to block it, but there are 2 flaws with this "solution". First, the "restricted" time of day should  be just that -- restricted (except from allowed numbers). The second problem with adding a number to the blocked list is that there is a limit of 15 numbers. My daughter has more than 15 friends that wouldn't hesitate to call her during the restricted hours, and adding their numbers to the blocked list blocks them all the time, not just during the restricted hours.

[graphite07]

another solution i found that worked great for me.

i use the lost/stolen phone feature to disable her service when it gets really bad.

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geekjon wrote:

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graphite07 wrote:

simply do not add the number you do not want her calling and her phone wont call it or text it. you have ot check the box to turn on blocked calls. its working for me ok.  just do not add the number to her allowed list and add the number to her blocked list and that Number will not get thru.

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I understand that I can add a number to the blocked list to block it, but there are 2 flaws with this "solution". First, the "restricted" time of day should  be just that -- restricted (except from allowed numbers). The second problem with adding a number to the blocked list is that there is a limit of 15 numbers. My daughter has more than 15 friends that wouldn't hesitate to call her during the restricted hours, and adding their numbers to the blocked list blocks them all the time, not just during the restricted hours.

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[tnt74]

You dont have to tell me. i got this feature for my 13 year old daughter. We are now in our 3rd billing cycle. i have her texts limited at 200 and her media limited at $0. She has 260 texts and 2mb of media billed so far and we are only 12 days into the billing cycle. i do have to say that the past 2 months i have called AT&T customer service they have been very nice and accommodating and have always refunded me the overages. BUT now I'm starting to get annoyed. The smart limits plan was supposed to be easier for me but i think i monitor her phone now more than the plan does. Its become way more work than i signed up for. This is the 3rd month. When will they get it right?

[graphite07]

so what you are saying with the text limit set and media limited set to 0 it still uses it? 

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tnt74 wrote:

You dont have to tell me. i got this feature for my 13 year old daughter. We are now in our 3rd billing cycle. i have her texts limited at 200 and her media limited at $0. She has 260 texts and 2mb of media billed so far and we are only 12 days into the billing cycle. i do have to say that the past 2 months i have called AT&T customer service they have been very nice and accommodating and have always refunded me the overages. BUT now I'm starting to get annoyed. The smart limits plan was supposed to be easier for me but i think i monitor her phone now more than the plan does. Its become way more work than i signed up for. This is the 3rd month. When will they get it right?

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[JS_nett123]

I think it's obvious. Since you would have to Block specfic numbers to keep in coming calls out, she is probably receiving texts, pies, and video, therefore the charges. I would love to have this service but until I can block both incoming as well as outgoing during restricted times, then I don't see the point.

[geekjon]

Hey AT&T,

Giving parents control over only half of the ways the phone is used (ie. outgoing but not incoming) gives parents practically no control at all.