Vodafone eases call forwarding rates for small businesses

Telecommunications service provider, Vodafone, has launched a new service called Unite which gives small business clients the ability to divert calls from fixed-line numbers to a mobile without call forwarding charges.

The deal starts from $28 a month over 12 months for businesses with 10 employees or less who are on Vodafone's Single Business Cap and Infinite Business voice plans.

The telco will as well provide businesses with one voicemail for their office landline number and mobile phone. Just in case, business owners have the option of caller ID on their mobile for calls to their landline.

According to the telco, clients will as well benefit as they can call a business and be diverted to a mobile nevertheless will only be required to pay the landline call rate.

Vodafone head of business products, Andy Malakooti, said in a statement that it introduced the call forwarding plan as some of its clients' customers feel "more comfortable" calling a business on a landline, or rather than a mobile or 1300 number.

"Unite is perfect for sole traders and small businesses who may already have a landline number that all in all catches inbound calls from real estate agents, trades people, mortage brokers and sales people who are frequently out of the office," he said.

The launch follows the announcement that Vodafone clients will be amongst the first in Australia to gain access to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Android smartphone which will be available from 14 December on 12 and 24-month plans.