AT&T Suspends Cell Phone Control

SAN ANTONIO – AT&T Inc. has suspended a service allowing parents to put limits on when their children’s cell phones can be used because it could restrict return calls from 911 operators.

AT&T’s Smart Limits service allows a child to call 911 even when restrictions are in effect. But if a child called 911 and was then disconnected during restricted hours, a 911 operator would not be able to call back, said spokesman Michael Coe.

"We have no indications that this has ever occurred, and the person who originally made the call would be able to call the 911 operator back, of course," Coe said in an e-mail.

AT&T suspended the service Saturday, Coe said. AT&T is notifying customers and will credit their accounts.

The service, which began earlier this month and is offered as an add-on for $4.99 per month per line, lets parents limit when cell phones can make and receive calls and restrict text messaging and talk time. It also lets parents set allowances for ring tones and other downloads. The service doesn’t require a contract.

Coe said AT&T will restart the service as soon as it resolves the problem, but that it has not set a timeline.

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