At what age should children be allowed to have and use cellphones?

for me I think so long as the child is being reminded of how important having a cell phone is and the significance of keeping the line open for emergency calls and others, I guess, It's fine to have the kid possess a phone. Well, safety of the kid for me, outweighs the negative side of the phone. I do believe that the most important thing is to always remind them about it's importance.

I think I'll allow my child to use his/her mobile phone but in a responsible manner. Maybe I'll let her use it whenever we're apart from each other. And I'll make it a point that she'll gonna use it only on weekends so that her studies won't be affected.

Thier are both positve things that happen with a cell phone and negative things that happen with a cell phone. I believe like the internet that a cell phone should have limitations where kids are condern. Like no long distance. Plus I don't care for the text messaging option. These phones are good for emergencies and some come with a tracker. But also you have to be careful because kids are not always responsible. I might let my child have a cell phone when they are teenagers but their would be restrictions and rules to follow!

This is a interesting question. Now a days children who are much younger have cell phones but its because of safety issues.
At the same time I think that children should be allowed to have cell phones when they are 15 16 years old because they will know how to be responsible.

13/14 when they get to high school
thats when they start making more friends and gogin out more and actually need it

i know i got my son his cell phone when he was 12. I work during the day and he is on two sports teams that has him away from home a lot after school. so i thought it was important for him to have a phone so that i can get in contact with him when he is out and i am at work. so for me 12 was the perfect age

This day and age i think it is safer for a child to carry a mobile to and from school and when they are out with their friends just incase they feel at threat or if their parents have to get in touch with that child to tell them to go to a grand parents etc in an emergency.As for at what age i would say with my children about ten years old.As long as they used it reasonably that would be ok.

i think 12 is a good age and they should have limited min. for emergencey use and contacting parents for updates and rides and things.

I don't think it depends on chronological age as much as it does on the individual child and how responsible they are. Cellphones are easy to misplace, and they can be so expensive!

I think I'd wait a lot longer than some parents do, maybe till the child is of driving age.

I am not a huge fan of kids with cellphones. It seems like a difficult question as to when a child should be allowed to have or use cellphones. Using a cellphone is always a different question then having your own. I can see parents sending phones for emergency purpose, but I don't think that 12 is a good age for owning your own cellphone.