DawsonTimes.com

Families are busier than ever these days and the fast approaching summer season is no exception. Summer jobs, hanging out with friends, going to the pool---let’s face it kids will be involved in a lot of activities that will keep them away from their parents and out of the house this summer.

With more and more parents across the country equipping the whole family with cell phones, it is critical they know the tools available to help them keep tabs on their kids without having to bug them constantly.

AT&T just announced a new application called AT&T FamilyMap that helps busy parents stay “dialed” in to their kids.  For on-the-go families, AT&T FamilyMap is a new tool that makes it easy to locate a family member's phone and see the location on a map via web browser on a PC or mobile device.

The service enables users to see details such as location on a map and surrounding landmarks like schools and parks. Users can also toggle between satellite and interactive street maps. Families can even customize their mapping experience by assigning a name and photo to each device within their account, and can also label places they visit frequently like “Home” or “Soccer Field.”

Through the tool’s schedule checks option, parents can receive alerts at specified times via text or e-mail. For example, parents could request a schedule check every weekday at 4 p.m. to check on their child’s location. In another scenario, parents of a teenager who drives could use the tool to check on their child’s location instead of calling or texting the teen, which might present a distraction while the teen is on the road.

Users of the application may locate any phone with which a billing relationship is established — for example, phones that are part of the same wireless account.

AT&T FamilyMap includes tools that give the primary account owner control in managing privacy preferences. All users on the account receive a text message when their phones first become locatable through AT&T FamilyMap, and those users will receive periodic reminders that their phones can be located. Alternately, the account owner has the option of notifying a phone every time location information is requested.

Additionally, account owners receive notification when location information for a phone not already being tracked is requested through the application, and he or she can then choose whether to allow the request.

The service works with all AT&T postpaid mobile phones and it is very affordable.

Users can locate up to two phones on an account for a monthly subscription of $9.99, or up to five phones for $14.99 per month. Customers who sign up for the service will receive the first 30 days free. AT&T also recommends you have an unlimited data plan.

For more information, visit www.att.com/familymap.