How to choose the right mobile pack for my child’s first cell phone?

When your kids reach a certain age, all they want is their own smartphone to chat with their friends and surf the Internet. Choosing your child’s first mobile plan can be tricky, though. How do you find the right balance between freedom and control so that your kids stay connected but not dependent? Especially since, due to their young age, they are not yet fully aware of the risks of using a cell phone. It is therefore essential to educate them and to make them understand the limits in order to properly accompany them in the face of this new technology.

Here are all our tips to develop good habits and allow you to choose the ideal mobile package for your child.

kids -first-phone

How to safely control the use of my child’s first mobile plan

Giving your child their first cell phone is a big responsibility. It is essential to keep in mind that this can have both a positive and negative impact on their behaviour. But where do you start in supporting them in this process and developing good habits?

When is the right time to give my child their first mobile plan?

Sooner or later, all children ask themselves the same question: “When will I get my first cell phone?’’ Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question.

Today, children tend to get their first smartphone at an increasingly young age. It is estimated that 30% of 8 to 9 year-olds own a cell phone. On the other hand, 60% of children aged 10 to 11 already have one. However, age is not the most important criterion.

The use you wish to give to your child’s first device is much more decisive. Indeed, having an unlimited internet connection at 8 years old doesn’t make much sense. This age is far too young to allow the child to regulate its own consumption. However, it makes sense for a child of the same age to be reachable if he/she travels independently to school. It also depends on your child’s level of maturity. Here are a few clues as to whether your child is already mature enough to get his or her first cell phone:

  • Will your child be able to follow the rules that are set?
  • Does your child understand the notion of what is private and what can be shared?
  • Is your child already aware of the dangers of the web and the irreversibility of certain actions?
  • Does your child have the reflex to turn to you or someone he/she trusts if he/she feels overwhelmed by events?

So, depending on the situation, it may make more sense to start a dialogue. Start by educating your child before giving them access to their first cell phone. Moreover, you can opt for a prepaid mobile offer that prevents your children from spending more data than allowed. This way you stay in control.

What are the rules for responsible use of my child’s first mobile plan?

Before giving your child their first mobile plan, they need to understand the purpose for which they are receiving this first smartphone. What are the rules associated with it. In particular, it is recommended that you set break times during which the use of cell phones is forbidden.

This line of conduct is essential since it will allow your child to adopt the right habits from the beginning.

To do this, we recommend that you define a clear, simple and age-appropriate contract. Discuss the rules together so that they are understood and respected. Dialogue is the key. It allows you to make your child understand the importance of this contract and that you are there to accompany him.

Here are some examples of rules that can be very useful:

  • Do not give out personal information to anyone.
  • Do not make purchases without parental permission.
  • Never open unwanted emails from people you don’t know.
  • Do not discuss or accept friend requests from people you don’t know.
  • When in doubt, your children MUST know that they can trust you.

What about parental control apps?

While it’s essential that your kids feel confident, it’s hard to make sure they’re protected when they’re on their phone without your control, isn’t it? A parental control system allows you to limit screen time, set time slots, and ban certain sites that may contain sensitive content.

In addition to the limits that a prepaid child’s package provides for you and your family, you can ensure that your child is safe while surfing the Internet. These tools to be installed on your child’s cell phone and sometimes yours are very handy for tracking your child’s phone usage in real time. However, it is essential to keep in mind that dialogue remains key. Monitoring is only a tool to support this effort of communication with your child. In order to establish a pact of trust, you must also make sure to respect their privacy. Otherwise, they will not be able to behave responsibly. It’s all about balance.

To better understand the use of parental controls and to build a relationship of trust, discover all our tips here.

Control my Kid mobile plan

Control costs and cosumption with the first mobile pack for my child

Opting for a prepaid plan for my child

Making sure your children have the right smartphone for their first experience is important. But making sure they have the mobile service they need is the most important step. Why is that? Because kids can easily overspend without realizing it. Spending long hours on the Internet, even spending on mobile applications they don’t really need or can’t afford. And paying for it would be unwelcome, wouldn’t it?

Cost control

For this, a prepaid mobile offer for kids is the perfect alternative. One of the great advantages of prepaid is that you can define a mobile data package with a certain price in advance. And above all that this amount cannot be exceeded. The cost of your child’s mobile data package will never exceed what was initially planned.  This way you avoid unwanted expenses and unpleasant surprises at the end of the month.

Managing your consumption

In addition to controlling your costs, prepaid offers for children allow you to teach them to manage their own consumption. Once they have spent all the internet data in their pack, their internet speed will be considerably reduced. This way you avoid any unwanted expenses. They will no longer have access to videos or other services that require too much mobile data. But don’t worry, your child will always be reachable by WhatsApp or other mobile messaging services. We don’t block their internet access completely, but we do limit it. This will teach them an essential lesson about the value of money and how to control their spending. Your kids will learn to get the most out of themselves, because getting 1GB in your monthly plan and spending it all on the first day can be very frustrating. You’ll see how quickly they learn from their experiences!

Flexibility

Prepaid also offers the perfect amount of flexibility, with no commitment, to meet kids’ cell phone needs. Packs can be renewed every month (manually or automatically like MUCHO does). You can decide at any time to change your child’s pack or to stop it without any additional cost.

find the right mobile pack for your teen kids

Choosing the right prepaid SIM card for my child’s first mobile plan

To help you find the best mobile plan for your child, the first question to ask yourself is to determine how you want to use your child’s mobile phone. How often will your child use their cell phone? Will they only use it to call you? Or to chat with friends?

The best cell phone offer for children is the one that best suits the needs of each child. In order to better compare the different mobile subscriptions for children you can discover our comparison of prepaid mobile offers in Switzerland.

The choice of the cell phone plan is not only made in terms of costs. Here are the most important options to make the right choice:

  • The number of minutes of calls and SMS
  • The volume of internet data
  • The network coverage in Switzerland
  • The possibilities of use in Europe
  • The presence of a commitment or not

Choosing a limited or unlimited plan for my child?

Unlimited also raises questions. Is it a good idea to provide my child with an unlimited package? Again, the answer depends on their age, maturity and the use you want to give them. However, keep in mind that with an unlimited package, it will be difficult for your child to learn to limit themselves and therefore develop responsible behaviour.

An unlimited package can be perfectly suitable for a young teenager. Their needs are generally more data-intensive. And above all, they have already had a mobile pack before, with which they will have developed good habits. For a younger child, a prepaid pack with limited data seems more relevant. It will limit the time they can spend on their screens. You will be able to follow their consumption and the time they spend on their phone. With MUCHO, you can find out the number of minutes and the amount of data spent on myMUCHO or by sending a free SMS from their phone.

Compare and order your children’s SIM card from MUCHO Mobile

Once you are ready to make your choice, you can follow these simple steps to get a prepaid SIM card for your children with MUCHO:

Carte SIM premier forfait mobile
  1. Order online under your name.
  2. Once received, go to myMUCHO and create your account.
  3. Your pack will be renewed automatically every month.

And you know what’s even better? You can change your mind at any time. With a prepaid pack, there is no contract. You can change your child’s pack whenever you want for more or less internet data and calls. Change easily with a few clicks, your child will always keep the same number!

Do you feel better prepared to make the right choices when it comes to phone expenses? We’re MUCHO happy.

Discover all our tips and advices for the first mobile plan of your kids

The Practical Guide To Accompany My Child With His First Smartphone

A first smartphone is often a highly anticipated event, but children need to understand there are limits. It’s essential to educate them about this new technology. Do you need some advice?

I am moving to Switzerland – Our tips for choosing a Swiss mobile operator

If you are moving to Switzerland soon, there are many concerns that should keep you up at night. You need to make sure that your accommodation is confirmed, that all your luggage is ready, that you have a valid ID card, that you have insurance and many more. In addition to this long list, you also need to find the right Swiss mobile plan. The one that will allow you to call and surf in Switzerland at the best price without commitment while staying in touch with your relatives in Europe.

You have probably already thought about keeping your current plan for Switzerland. However, the roaming fees would lead to high expenses and an uncertain bill at the end of the month. Moreover, a Swiss cell phone number is essential to allow you to integrate in this new country for your work as well as for your administrative procedures.

Switzerland is one of the European countries with the most developed telecommunications network, and has many cell phone providers. When you move to Switzerland, you will have a wide choice to find the Swiss mobile plan without commitment that suits you. Here is everything you need to know before you leave to help you select the best Swiss mobile operator.

Make sure you have good mobile network coverage in Switzerland

couverture-reseau-mobile-suisse-minBefore choosing your package, you should make sure that the operator you choose has good coverage for its Swiss mobile network. Without a good network quality, a package would not be of much use to you. To take advantage of your subscription, especially in remote areas, you can consult the coverage map 3G / 4G / 5G Switzerland.

Switzerland has one of the highest telephone connection rates in Europe with a coverage of up to 99.9% for calls on the mobile network. In Switzerland, the network is operated by three major operators: Salt, Sunrise and Swisscom. But these are not the only mobile providers. The country actually has about 25 operators, including MUCHO Mobile. This operator offers alternative solutions using one of these main networks, thus offering the same network quality.

Be aware of each operator’s terms of engagement

Vérifier les conditions d'engagement de mon forfait mobile SuisseWe tend to read what is written on the back of most products we buy. But do we really read the terms and conditions of each service? We almost never notice that we are actually paying more than advertised, with hidden rates at the end of the month. In particular, are you aware of the contracts you are signing up for? Do you know how much the operator will charge you if you decide to break the service before the end of the commitment?

Most Swiss mobile plans operate on a 12 to 24 month commitment. This means that if you leave before the end of this period, you will have to pay a termination fee proportional to the remaining commitment period. If you have 15 months of contract left, you will have to pay the equivalent of 15 monthly payments. That’s CHF 375 for a package of CHF 25 per month. But fortunately, there are many telephone operators who have banned these commitments, leaving you free to come and go as you please. So take the time to read and understand the terms and conditions of the mobile service you are signing up for before you commit to it. Make sure you find an operator that is completely transparent and clear about your expenses.

Opt for a prepaid Swiss mobile plan for more flexibility

Optez pour un forfait mobile suisse avec de la flexibilitéBanning commitments is one of the great advantages of prepaid mobile. You are free to come and go whenever you want without any cancellation fees. Prepaid offers allow you to communicate in Switzerland and in Europe in the same way as a subscription. What makes them different is the way you pay for your usage. With a classic subscription, you select your package and pay at the end of the month for your subscription and any additional expenses you may have incurred. With prepaid, the way it works is different because you pay in advance for your consumption. This means that you can select a mobile package. You will never spend more than what you initially chose. This way you stay in control and avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the month.

Prepaid mobile offers for Switzerland and Europe include a certain number of minutes for Switzerland and Europe, a volume of internet in Switzerland and Roaming in Europe. There are many mobile operators offering prepaid offers. To help you find your way around you can consult our mobile comparison on Swiss prepaid mobile offers.

Communicate in Switzerland: Start by knowing your needs

Comprendre mes besoins pour communiquer avec mon forfait mobile suisse

Why pay for an unlimited call plan if you’re just chatting with your friends? And why would you have an unlimited internet connection if you only use it to read the press and surf the net? We all pay close attention to our expenses and try to save as much as possible. So, the first step to choose the right mobile operator in Switzerland is to analyze your phone expenses. Check your internet data and minutes consumption during the last months. You can then easily calculate an average cost to meet your mobile needs.

Are you the type of person who spends long hours on the phone? Will your new home be equipped with Wi-Fi? Once you’ve defined your daily usage, you’ll be able to find the offer with the right amount of minutes and internet volume for you.

1GB4GB
UseWhatsAppIdeal
Read the press and emailsIdeal
Use Google MapsLimitedIdeal
Surfing on social mediasLimitedIdeal
Listening to musicInsufficientLimitedIdeal
Watching movies on NetflixInsufficientIdeal

Here are some examples of data consumption:

  • Sending messages with WhatsApp: 1Kb
  • Sending a video via WhatsApp: 90KB
  • Using Google Maps: 3MB / minute
  • Using Social Media: 300MB / 30 minutes
  • Watch one hour of Netflix movie in basic resolution: 1GB
  • Watch a soccer game on the road: 6GB

Whether you’re using an iOS or Android device, you can easily check how much data you’ve spent with a few clicks from your settings. In iOS, you can even reset your usage whenever you want.

So for light and occasional consumers, it’s best to opt for a less greedy data pack. This will save you a lot of money. For data addicts you can opt for an unlimited data pack in Switzerland.

Keep in touch with Europe at low cost with your Swiss mobile offer

Contacter l'Europe au meilleur prix avec mon forfait mobile suisseWhen you arrive in Switzerland, in addition to your national phone calls, you will probably need to keep in touch with your family and friends in Europe. One of the most economical solutions to make your calls to Europe is to include this option in your mobile package. Some operators offer packages dedicated to expatriates who wish to contact their relatives in Europe without breaking the bank. You can therefore reach your loved ones at no extra cost.

Let’s take the example of Pablo who came to live in Switzerland. His family and friends live in Spain. He usually calls them 1h30 per week to their mobiles. With a per-minute rate of 0.12/minute it would cost Pablo CHF 60. What Pablo does not know is that he can also use DUOMAXI. This pack allows him to call those he loves without limits, enjoy unlimited internet in Switzerland (20GB Top Speed) and 2GB of Roaming in Europe. All this for only CHF39 per month. In other words, Pablo benefits from an unlimited Swiss mobile plan with as many calls to Europe as he wants while saving his money. And since MUCHO has no contract, Pablo is free to change his mobile package whenever he wants as his needs change.

Travelling in Europe: find out about operators’ roaming options

Profiter du ROaming en Europe avec mon forfait mobile suisseWill you be travelling in Europe and need data for roaming? Roaming is a system of international agreements between operators. It allows you to make all communications (calls and internet) within a foreign country. This means that your Swiss mobile operator uses an agreement to allow you to use a local network.

Each operator offers mobile packages with more or less attractive rates. These packages include roaming data for Europe when you use your phone and/or internet connection.

Without an appropriate subscription, your phone bill can quickly climb and reach an astronomical sum. Indeed, as Switzerland is not part of the European Union, most of the European mobile operators still apply roaming surcharges to their mobile subscribers using a Swiss network. Some Swiss packages include, in addition to a connection for Switzerland, a quantity of data per month for Europe.

If you often travel to Europe, we recommend you select a Swiss mobile plan that includes roaming data for Europe. If you don’t travel to Europe often, you can opt for additional packages. You can activate them for a defined period of time. This allows you to have a certain amount of phone calls or internet connection while roaming.

Subscribe to a prepaid Swiss mobile pack for Switzerland and Europe

Sélectionner une carte SIM prépayée pour mon forfait mobile suisse sans engagement.Are you starting to see more clearly in the telecom jungle? We are MUCH happier. It is now time to order your Swiss SIM card. For this, you have two options. If you already have an address in Switzerland, you can order it online. Your SIM card will arrive directly at your door in a few days. Otherwise, you can pick up a SIM card at one of our post offices, train station kiosks or independent stores.

MUCHO Mobile has been operating on the Nº1 Swiss mobile network for more than ten years, offering exceptional coverage (99.99%). Specialized since its creation in international prepaid services, MUCHO Mobile has become the first MVNO dedicated to international telephony.

We have agreements with more than 160 countries in the world -thanks to which we can propose the best Swiss mobile offers for their national and international calls, in the form of prepaid packs or calls by the minute.

You can benefit from the most affordable rates for Europe and only spend the amount you decide to spend. Keep full control of your spending. Best of all? It’s commitment-free! You are free to come and go whenever you want. No cancellation fees. MUCH easier!

And these are just a few reasons why MUCHO Mobile is the best alternative mobile operator for your calls in Switzerland and in Europe. Want to know more?

checklist mucho mobile I am moving to Switzerland

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