BT Business has launched a ”10 ($19.50) monthly bolt-on tariff for its Office Anywhere smartphone service, and an online tool for SMEs to calculate the benefits of mobile working.
For that extra sum, BT is offering unlimited e-mail access, unlimited Voice over Internet Phonecalls (VoIP) calls to UK landlines from wireless broadband hotspots (including BT Openzone and BT Business Total Broadband hubs), unlimited calling between colleagues, and the ability to work on Microsoft Office applications.
This will also be available as a ”5 bolt-on service without the VoIP capability, but it is these internet phone calls which can make business travellers decent savings. With WiFi broadband now available in various public places - including many hotels, airports, cafes and 12 cities around the UK including Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and the City of Westminster in London ” it means calls are then free.
Customers have a choice of two handsets compatible with BT Office Anywhere ” the HTC S710 or the HTC S620 - and it is free once the tariff threshold of 500 minutes is reached.
”The handsets use Windows Mobile 6, so travellers can edit Word documents and Excel documents, and look at power point presentations, which they can”t do on smartphones which don”t run this application,” said BT Business Mobility general manager Charlotte Anderson. "Business travellers on the move can be very effective given the right tools. The key is to help users work effectively out of the office as they would at their desk while managing costs.
"The average corporate traveller can spend huge amounts of time in hotels, airports and coffee shops - most of which now have Wi-Fi. And BT also offers an international travel voucher so users can predict overseas wireless broadband roaming costs."
As well as the online ”Mobility Matters” calculator ” found at www.insight.bt.com/articles/Mobility-Costs - there is a guide giving SMEs practical advice on how to take advantage of mobile technology to maximise productivity, including tips on boosting business agility and efficiency, and controlling costs.