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Cell Phone Company Allowing Call Limits

Posted on: Friday, 14 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

Ellen Simon

NEW YORK (AP) -- How would you like to curb your gabby teen's mobile chats or your employee's cell calls about fantasy football?

Boston Communications Group Inc. (BCGI) might have something for you.

Its Mobile Guardian lets bosses and parents visit a Web site and limit calls from certain numbers or during certain hours. They could also limit the number of minutes a user could talk, while marking some numbers - a colleague's or mom's, say - for unlimited use.

Boston Communications is "in heavy discussions" with wireless carriers, but none have signed contracts yet, said Tom Erskine, vice president of product development and marketing.

One could argue that, at a time when mobile companies are trying to increase the minutes their customers use, the service could be a hard sell.

Erskine is betting otherwise.

"With wireless penetration where it is, we're reaching a point where we need tools to help mobile carriers reach new segments," he said. "This would appeal to small enterprises. That's a market that continues to be underpenetrated."

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