AwayPhone is a new London-based international mobile phone operator that provides low cost incoming and outgoing calls for business travellers when abroad. The customer is provided with an AwayPhone SIM card, which integrates the customer”s original mobile number with a local number to cut the cost of roaming charges using voice over internet protocol (VoIP).
When phoning the customer”s regular mobile number it will be re-directed through the local number so the customer does not pay to receive calls. Similarly, when making calls in a foreign country, the customer calls through the local number provided on the AwayPhone SIM, thus only paying for a local call in the country they are in.
When calling home from abroad, the regular mobile number is used as if at home (with no additional roaming charges). The AwayPhone SIM also helps local business contacts, as the customer can give out the local, rather than international, number when abroad so clients are not paying for international calls.
CEO Sherry Madera (pictured), commenting on her and her colleagues” experiences with incoming phone costs alone reaching ”1.60 ($3.13) per minute, said: ”We knew that our experiences were not unique and therefore believed it was time to take an innovative stand in the mobile roaming arena and fill a gaping hole in the market. From there it was a case of taking technology that was already available, but redefining the way in which it was used.
Various packages are available for the service, ranging from single trip use to monthly billing accounts. There is a one-off charge of ”24.99 ($48.80) for the SIM card, a ”9.99 ($19.50) charge for single trip users and a monthly bill of ”5.99 ($11.70) for account holders, in addition to the cost of the calls made. As a business travel service the company will also tailor packages for large companies around their travellers” needs.