Mobile phone for 12 year old bold

[Iamaworrywart]

DS is 12 years old and travels to school alone by train and so needs a mobile phone for emergencies etc. Up until now, he has had a cheap payg phone but that has now packed up and not worth replacing. DS would like a Blackberry to replace it for BBM I think, but I am concerned about mugging etc. What phone would you suggest?

I would be more concerned that you will be here in a years time fretting about the fact that he can never put the phone down, is a BBM addict, etc etc. If I had the chance again I would not have bought DD2 a Blackberry, it's like a drug - they have to have constant access to it else they get withdrawal!

Agree with the no Blackberry...once they have one then all is lost ! My DD14 falls asleep with hers in her hand.

I think any phone that has access to the internet or wifi or whatever the blinkin' thing is called (whatever gives them access to Twitter/Facebook)is a no no. The get addicted so quickly...and I do mean addicted.

My kids have the galaxy europa on PAYG this one and they're very happy with it. Not a flashy phone, but good enough for everything they want to do. I did get the phones unlocked and put them on Giffgaff once they'd used their initial £15 top up.

Thanks for the feedback so far, I didn't realise Blackberries could be so addictive.

DD got a Blackberry for Christmas. She loves it, but it does have a curfew (9pm) and is not allowed at the dinner table.

It is currently in for repair. She would love to have her BBM back, but is surviving admirably without it and using her old phone.

Blackberries and BBM are very addictive - it becomes like they need to be in constant contact with each other.

My 11 year olds have these and they're good - not babyish but not ridiculously expensive.

Blackberries and iphones or the new smartphones can all be very addictive and a major distraction from school work.

The only thing to be weary of is credit monitoring if you're getting a PAYG! If you're buying D credit, make sure its for emergency and not all spent on texting friends (which will probably be the case) or try the '68700' service i heard on the radio the other day - where D can call you even with no credit.