BT tags personal calls

Lets firms control mobile phone bills

BT has launched its new Autobalance service to help companies improve control of mobile phone bills by allowing staff to tag the personal calls they make on business handsets.

Under the service, employees simply press the star key after dialling a personal number. This tags the call and allows the cost to be automatically deducted from their salary, pending approval. Autobalance remembers tagged numbers, and tags can be edited and amended via online contact lists.

BT said that the service also benefits employees because they can use a business mobile for all calls, instead of needing a separate personal phone. This means they could benefit from corporate rates negotiated by their employers.

The Autobalance service is available now for businesses that have a minimum of 25 handset users. It costs £2.50 per connection per month on a 12-month contract.