Following Alltel's release of its Parental Controls application, the wireless carrier today announced the launch of Axcess Family Finder, a service that promises to enable parents to determine the location of their child's Axcess Family Finder-capable phone from the Web or their mobile phone.

Axcess Family Finder features easy-to-use interactive maps to monitor family members to specific locations. The service also allows parents to identify specific areas that their children frequent, and includes Scheduled Checks that enable parents schedule regular location checks on their child's whereabouts.

The application uses GPS technology to locate the child's phone, and the parents' can receive text messages automatically notifying them of the child's location, or they can check the application's Web site.

"Axcess Family Finder provides parents with the comfort of knowing the location of their children," Scott Moody, director of multi-media content for Alltel Wireless, said in a statement. "Alltel Wireless believes it is important to keep families connected and safe with the latest technologies and applications available."

The service, developed for Alltel by WaveMarket, is available for $9.99 a month per child's phone. Users can register up to 10 phones and receive unlimited phone location information.  Normal airtime and data charges apply.