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BT SmartTalk makes smartphone calls cheaper(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 15 January 2013 Release date- 14012013 - BT customers could save money on their smartphone calls with BT's new free SmartTalk app which launched today. It is the first app launched in the UK to link an iPhone with a customer's home phone calling plan. The app works best over wi-fi, but will also work over any mobile data connection. It allows BT customers to make phone calls whether in the UK or abroad , which are billed as if they were calling from their BT home phone. BT broadband customers have the added advantage of access to more than 7.5 million hotspots worldwide for free. Using the app, customers could save money in a number of ways: When travelling abroad, BT customers can use BT SmartTalk to phone home for the price of a UK call , which may be included in their BT package. BT customers can make inclusive calls, using their home calling plan, to UK landlines, 0800, 0845 and 0870 numbers on their smartphone. Pay as you go (PAYG) smartphone customers can also make savings on their calls to mobiles as BT's landline rates are cheaper than standard PAYG tariffs, or continue to use their smartphone to make calls when they are running out of credit. For example, customers on BT's Unlimited Anytime Plus Plan will be able to make 24/7 calls to any UK landline number or 0845 number at no extra cost, whilst enjoying calls to mobiles from as little as 2.65 pence per minute - a fraction of the standard rates typically charged by mobile pay as you go tariffs. John Petter, managing director consumer, BT, said: 'This is a really exciting breakthrough that means you can take your BT calling plan with you and continue saving money when you're away from home, either in the UK or abroad. BT SmartTalk helps you get even more value from your BT package and much more from your smartphone. At last you can actually call freephone 0800 numbers for free from mobiles and get inclusive 0845 and 0870 calls too. And of course, you can take advantage of BT Wi-fi which gives you access to a massive network of 7.5 million hotspots around the world.' BT SmartTalk calls can be made to anyone, anywhere, at any time and the app supports up to five users on one calling plan. Customers will not be charged for making calls that are included as part of their home calling plan. They could even save when calling outside of their plan as BT's standard landline rates will apply, instead of mobile rates that can often be more expensive. The BT SmartTalk App is now available free from the App Store on iPhone or at www.itunes.com/appstore. Notes to editors Savings examples: A couple are on honeymoon in Thailand. Two quick five minute calls to their respective parents' home phones using their O2 PAYG mobile standard rate would cost a total of GBP9.90. Using BT SmartTalk when logged on to wi-fi, on an Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus, those same phone calls would have been included in their home calling plan. A group of three friends move into their new house and need to call each of their utility suppliers on three 0845 numbers. On Orange's PAYG standard rate, each 20 minute call would cost them GBP7.20. But using BT SmartTalk, the same calls would have been included in their home calling plan. A BT customer's teenage daughter calls her best friend's mobile phone in the evening for an hour when her GCSE results come in. On an Orange PAYG standard rate, this 60 minute call would cost GBP15.00. Using BT SmartTalk on an Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus, the same call would cost GBP1.72. NB Savings exclude mobile provider's inclusive minutes or bolt-ons. BT Calling Plans Cost per month Unlimited Weekend GBP0 Includes calls between midnight Fri & midnight Sun Unlimited Evening & Weekend GBP3.30 Inclusive calls between 7pm-7am Mon to Fri & all weekend Unlimited Anytime GBP5.15 Inclusive calls at any time Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus GBP8 Inclusive landline calls at any time plus half our standard pence-per-minute rates to UK mobiles Cost of calls outside calling plans UK landline Daytime (7am - 7pm Mon to Fri) Evenings (7pm to 7am Mon to Fri) Weekends (Midnight Fri to midnight Sun) 8.41p/min 1.11p/min 0p extra When making a chargeable call, a 13.87p set up fee applies. Calls to UK mobile phones Pence-per-minute rate (Daytime) Pence-per-minute rate (Evening) Unlimited Anytime Plan Plus 5.65p/min 2.65p/min Unlimited Anytime Plan Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan Unlimited Weekend Plan 11.3p/min 5.3p/min A 13.87p call set-up fee applies [Editorial queries for this story should be sent to [email protected]] ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2013 Electronic News Publishing - |