How old does my son need to be to have a phone?

[nicolelangager]

My son is 8 years old.. almost 9 and he talks about how a lot of his friends have cell phones. He is always saying how he wishes he had a cell phone but I don't see the point. I feel he doesn't need a phone until he is old enough to stay home by himself/go places with his friends. I am kind of a stickler with electronics and I don't want him to be brainwashed by all of it. What do you think is an appropriate age for a phone?

[AnnieBrooke]

My son has begun riding his bike alone in the neighborhood, such as to the park, library or store (about a five-block area around our house).  I got him a buy-off-the-rack phone at Target that gets reloaded with a card also bought off the rack.  No phone plan, no access to websites where he can accidentally buy something because my credit card is on the record, my credit card is not on the record.  I just wanted him to be reachable when he was out on his bike.