AT&T Inc. today announced a comprehensive Web site of parental controls designed to educate and empower parents. AT&T Smart Limits^TM brings together information for parental control features for the full suite of AT&T services - wireless, wireline, high speed Internet access and video - into one online portal.

The site - located at www.att.com/smartlimits - provides information and directions on how to use parental controls for wireless, Internet, video and home phone services from AT&T. With features ranging from content controls to channel and phone-number blockers, parental control for these AT&T services help establish sensible boundaries around the technology children use on a daily basis.

AT&T Smart Limits is another example of a benefit from AT&T Inc.'s Dec. 29, 2006, acquisition of BellSouth Corp. and consolidated ownership of Cingular Wireless - and builds on the company's philosophy of simplifying how customers use communications services, while combining wireless/wireline services in ways that provide tangible benefits for customers.

"A torrent of information and entertainment comes at us every day from wireless phones and wired phones, from the Internet, and from TV," said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chief operating officer. "With AT&T Smart Limits, we are giving our customers an intuitive, easy-to-use way of learning how to manage this content and decide what is appropriate for their families, especially their children."

Child advocacy expert, Ruth A. Peters, PhD, clinical psychologist and author, indicates that Internet and entertainment technology has widened the communications chasm between parents and children.

"Today's children are more in touch with technology - especially when it comes to wireless services and the Internet," said Dr. Peters. "Parents need to play an active role in how their children use this technology and the content it is capable of delivering. AT&T Smart Limits is an excellent way to help parents play this role."

 

The AT&T Smart Limits site includes:

Wireless Smart - find out how to control wireless purchases and online access. By accessing the MEdia^TM Net Parental Controls, Cingular Wireless customers can restrict mobile phone access to certain Web sites, as well as restrict the purchase of premium subscriptions and downloads, such as games, ringtones and graphics.

Surf Smart - locate tools to block Web sites containing inappropriate and/or mature content. AT&T Yahoo!^® High Speed Internet and Dial members receive an industry-leading parental controls package, which lets parents filter content and customize security settings for each child to ensure their safety while online.

Watch Smart - learn more about managing your family's TV viewing experience. The video parental controls offered with the video services available from AT&T companies allow customers to do things such as filter viewing based on movie or TV ratings and block channels.

Talk Smart - learn how to protect children from pranksters and unwanted callers. AT&T home phone calling features gives parents a variety of options, including the ability to manage calls received, stop unidentified callers, and/or block 900/976 numbers.

The company plans to enhance AT&T Smart Limits in the future to give people even greater control of the content their families experience.

In conjunction with the launch of AT&T Smart Limits, AT&T plans to continue its customer education program on how to keep children safe when using online, voice and data technology. Fact sheets regarding Internet, phone and wireless safety are available at www.att.com/safety.