Sprint today announced the availability of a Family Safety service that will map the locations of where Sex Offenders Live and where they work The service is available on some Sprint and Nextel Phones.

“Many parents rely on wireless phones to help them stay connected to their children wherever they go,” said Kevin McGinnis, director of wireless data product management for Sprint. “Sprint Family Locator is a valuable tool that many parents are using to get a better sense of their children’s whereabouts when they’re apart. With the launch of FamilyWatchdog Mobile and the sponsorship of the America’s Most Wanted Family Safety Center online, Sprint is helping to provide even more ways for parents to get information on keeping their families safe, just in time for the back-to-school season.”

FamilyWatchdog Mobile

The new FamilyWatchdog Mobile enables users to view maps of where registered sex offenders live and work from anywhere on the Sprint or Nextel networks on capable phones, when accessing a PC or laptop would be impractical. Users can search the areas surrounding specific addresses such as their homes or children’s schools and view offender photographs, descriptions and conviction details. They can also search individual names and view active AMBER alerts. Families can even sign up for free text alerts to be sent to their cell phone or email when registered sex offenders move near or away from any U.S. address the user enters.

The free FamilyWatchdog mobile service makes it convenient and easy for Sprint customers to stay aware of sex offenders in the community. To access the service on a data-enabled Sprint phone, Sprint customers should go to the mobile Web on their phone, type “family” in the search box and select FamilyWatchdog. Standard data charges apply. FamilyWatchdog is also available online at http://www.familywatchdog.us.

Sprint Family Locator

Sprint Family Locator is a location-based service that uses Sprint’s state-of-the-art GPS technology to enable a parent to use a phone or PC to locate a child on a map, without interrupting the child’s activities. The service also gives the address, surrounding landmarks and accuracy of the child’s location within a specified radius. Safety Checks automatically alert a parent of the child’s whereabouts at set times of the day, such as after school or at curfew. For just $9.99 per month in addition to your data subscription, parents can locate up to four family members.

With the launch of the latest Sprint phones, Sprint Family Locator is now available for locating more than 100 different phone models, including the popular UpStage by Samsung and the new MUZIQ by LG. With these new phones, parents can choose from an even wider range of locatable phones for their children, without sacrificing functionality or style. And with more than 30 locator phones, including the new Samsung M510, parents who wish to use Sprint Family Locator on their Sprint phone in addition to a PC can find a compatible model that meets their per