BT SmartTalk App Lets Customers Use Landline Minutes On Smartphones

BT has released BT SmartTalk for Android and iOS, which will allow customers to make calls on their smartphones using allowances from their landline plans.

The application works on any Wi-Fi or mobile data connection and will bill customers as though they were using their home phone.

BT says that customers will benefit from inclusive minutes and cheaper rates than those of many Pay-As-You-Go tariffs, while calls from abroad will be significantly cheaper. However, the benefits of using the application outside the UK will be limited unless used on a Wi-Fi connection as customers will still have to pay potentially expensive data roaming charges.

BT SmartTalk application

The application supports up to five users on any one plan and BT Broadband customers will have free access to more than 7.5 million Wi-Fi hotspots around the world.

“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,” said John Petter, managing director for consumer at BT.

“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.”

Earlier this year, Telefonica, parent company of O2, unvieled TU Me, a VoIP application designed to compete with rival services such as Skype. It allows users to send texts, voicemails and phone calls over a Wi-Fi or mobile connection.

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