AT&T;is not the first to introduce a service like this. Disney Mobile and Kajeet have similar services, but you have to switch your mobile account to them in order to use the service and you need to use a phone you buy from them. There’s also Parent Patrol (http://www.parent-patrol.com) which is pretty much exactly like AT&T;’s service. Unfortunately, Parent Patrol isn’t yet widely available although a number of carriers are going to start offering it this fall.

Well, whether revolutionary or a repeat, making a point of communicating parental controls is smart marketing.  It’s a far cry from the ‘corporate shrug’ we get from providers on things like texting pricing, which actually incentivizes excess usage (my provider allows for no controls, but will happily sell me an umlimited usage plan).  If it’s smart, AT&T;will make a big deal about these services, instead letting them fall into the category of ‘other services’ that get listed on their web site offering.  Again, it doesn’t have to be revolutionary to be useful, and in this instance, they could do a lot with it.  I’ve written about the branding implications a bit at DIM BULB, at http://dimbulb.typepad.com, if you want to check it out.  Thanks!