Anybody else wanting full control over who their child can call and text?

ItsMaggie · 2024-05-23T17:01:31+00:00

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We've really loved our Gabb phone (we've had the Z2 for a few years). No internet, snapchat, instagram etc. One thing we've always felt is missing is the ability to manage our child's phone contacts. Feel like this is a missed opportunity. Many parents (like myself) would appreciate being able to control who my child can call and text. Anyone else agree?

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Comments

Reagan - Gabb

Hi Maggie! Glad to hear you guys have loved your Gabb Phone.

Great news, our newer phone models like our Gabb Phone 3 Pro (and any new models we release this year) support full parent-managed contact management. Using the Gabb Messenger Parent app, you can approve who your child can call or text. Previous phone models (like our Gabb Phone or Gabb Phone Plus) support Gabb Messenger Parent as well. If you want to upgrade your device, login to www.gabb.com/account and select Upgrade Device.

Contact Management applies to call and text on IOS. Contact Management for text messages is available for Android. Contact management for phone calls is coming soon to Android.

Gabb Messenger Parent will also notify you if any messages and content being sent or received are flagged as high risk, including images with explicit content, harmful words from unknown contacts, and links from unknown contacts.

-Reagan

ElizabethJune_98

I totally have been wanting something like this. Going to download that app now!🤩

CAB

So, this is not available for parents with android phones. I was very dissappointed when I found this out, since I was told I would be able to when I was asking questions before I bought the phone.

There is also no way to prevent the child from chaning the password.

Reagan - Gabb

Hi @CAB

The Gabb Messenger Parent app is now available for Android in the Play Store! On Android, the app currently supports reviewing flagged messages, Safe Video Calling, and managing your child's text message deletion settings. Contact Management for phone calls is coming soon to Android! See more info on Gabb Messenger here.

As for the child being able to change the password, I'm assuming you're referring to being able to change the phone's screen unlock password or PIN. If this is a feature that you'd like, we'd love for you to share it here in the forum as a feature idea!

-Reagan

tvandergon

I have a Gabb Phone Z2 for my children. I am having trouble getting the device to block unknown callers. I have that feature turned on in the call settings but we still get calls every couple of hours from unknown numbers. Is there a way to limit allowed calls to just contacts?

Reagan - Gabb

Hi @tvandergon,

Your post was merged into this one to help answer your question with additional information added. As mentioned above, using the Gabb Messenger Parent app, you can approve who your child can call or text. Previous phone models (like our Gabb Phone or Gabb Phone Plus) support Gabb Messenger Parent as well. However, if your child has a Gabb Phone or Gabb Phone Plus, the approved contacts list will only apply to texting—not phone calls. Contact management via Gabb Messenger Parent applies to texts and calls on the Gabb Phone 4, Gabb Phone 3 Pro, and Gabb Phone 4 Pro.

You can learn more about the Gabb Messenger app in our Help Article here!

Here are the steps to upgrade your line to one of our newer models if desired:

Log into your MyAccount
Select "Upgrade Device" on the left hand side of the page
Select the line you would like to upgrade
Follow the remaining upgrading steps

*Note that Contact Management applies to call and text on IOS. Contact Management for text messages is available for Android. Contact management for phone calls is coming soon to Android.

Hope this helps!

-Reagan

Tadman5739

Tried to post this earlier but it looks like it didn't work.

We are a new Gabb Phone 3 Pro Family and having issues.

I am at a complete loss and support has not been able to assist at all other than to tell me to look at the Gabb Messenger App. I want to restrict incoming phone calls to people on the contact list, a standard feature on Samsung phones, usually just check the box that says Block Calls from Unknown Numbers. This does not appear to be available in the Gabb Dialer.

The phone has been active for less that a day and it has received a collections call for the numbers previous owner, and a call to renew an auto warranty and a third call asking to re-finance student debt.

We have set up a few contacts, and set the messenger app for texts to those contacts, is there any way to block calls from numbers not in those contacts?

The text message block seems to work, according to Gabb Messenger Parent the phone has received 25 text messages, many with malicious links but at least they do not appear on the phone.

The support person said I could block phone numbers after the phone had received the call and I had it. That just means that if my daughter receives an inappropriate call, I can stop the second one. To me that means a bully or predator only get to try once. Did I completely miss the point of the Gabb service?

Can anyone help? Is there a way to block calls from unknown numbers on a Gabb phone? Did we completely miss the point of Gabb?

Reagan - Gabb

Hello @Tadman5739,

Your post was merged into this one as others have asked similar a similar question. It's great to hear that you are able to see the result of the Gabb Messenger Parent app successfully blocking the text messages. Thank you for this post so we can help!

A parent can manage who their child can text and call through Contact Management depending on what Gabb Phone and parent phone you are using. As mentioned above, our newer phone models like our Gabb Phone 3 Pro (and any new models we release this year) support parent-managed contact management.

*Full parent-management abilities (Contact Management for text and call) is available to IOS users. Partial parent-management abilities (Contact Management for text only) is available to Android users. Our team is working hard to make Contact Management for calls available for Android users soon!

Hope this information helps clarify this situation!

-Reagan

Daks

I also agree with the parent posts above. One of the main reasons we were sold on this service (we have the Gabb phone 4) was due to the ability to limit ALL contact to ONLY those on the approved contact list.

We have had the service for only a month. While I like many of the features and the potential is there, the inability to block incoming calls and texts from random numbers is upsetting. We already have over 40 blocked numbers just this month so far. Unacceptable.

Please finish your Android app to allow for only approved contacts to call or text my child.

Gabb Product

Hello all!

Great news and update to this post. We are excited to announce that parents using the Gabb Messenger app on Android can now manage an approved contact list for their child's Gabb phone. Please check out our new announcement post, "Update to Gabb Messenger for parents on Android: Mange your child's approved contacts", for more information!

Thank you!

-Gabb Product Team

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