BT aims to snatch international business from mobiles

BT is quietly trialling a service to give mobile users cheap rates for international calls by bypassing their service provider.

The service, BT Callwise, can be used by downloading a software client to a phone and registering for a pre-pay account. Users get to pay a few pence per minute, compared to the usual 40p-plus a minute mobile users are charged for making international calls.

Users can also check the cost of the call before they make it.

While the service is available to both contract and pay-as-you-go customers, the software is only compatible with certain models of handsets. According to BT, it works with most models of smart phones based on the Symbian OS, including the Nokia 6600 and 7610, as well as the Sony Ericsson P800.

However, the service will be extended to work with other models "soon", according to BT.