(U-WIRE) OXFORD, Miss. – Cell phone companies are now marketing their products to a new generation of cell phone users. This new cell phone generation is made up of children ages 6 to 11. Do young children really need cell phones?

The makers of Firefly Phone, Wherifone GPS Locator Phone from Enfora think so. New cell phones are designed for smaller hands and younger minds. The new cell phones come equipped with “daddy” and “mommy” buttons, as well as one-touch dialing for 911 and other programmed numbers. These cell phones can be purchased in bright colors and some even feature animated characters and educational software.

Walt Disney Co., along with Sprint Corporation, plans to offer a wireless service for children ages 8 to 12 years old. Firefly Mobile has already enrolled more than 100,000 children, under the age of 12. This fall, Enfora LP plans to offer cell phones equipped with LeapFrog educational software geared for children as young as 6. The “tween” population, which includes ages 8 to 12, accounts for 20 to 30 million of the current United States population, shaping the market for early cell phone use.

In today’s society many homes are made up of two working parents which makes scheduling after school activities can be extremely stressful. A cell phone offers parents an extra convenience.

The cell phone companies also know parents are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of their children. The ability to track the location of your child is another safety feature. Wherify, the company that developed the GPS Locator Watch for children, will offer a cell phone designed for children as young as 7. The cell phone will have only five buttons and contain a GPS Locator. The phone will retail for $100, with a $20 monthly service fee that allows for 30 minutes of talk time. Some see this as a small price to pay for added safety.

TicTalk will be available for $100 and calls will be charged at 25 cents per minute. The cell phone is programmed by using your personal computer and the Internet. Parents will be able to control who their children talk to and how long they talk. This feature is meant to add a level of privacy.

Samantha Garner, retail sales associate for Unicel of Oxford, Miss., offers the Firefly cell phone for children with minutes being shared by their parents.

“You see everybody on phones,” Garner said.

As long as there is a market for cell phone use among younger children, companies will continue to develop plans to meet the needs of both children and parents.

Copyright ©2006 Daily Mississippian via CSTV U-Wire