Tesco workers to go mobile

TESCO is to get rid of desk telephones after the supermarket giant agreed a £100 million link-up with Cable & Wireless.

Thousands of staff will be using mobile phones for all their calls under the five-year deal, which begins next month.

Staff in 1500 stores and distribution centres will be given C&W sim cards for mobile phones, allowing both fixed line and mobile calls to be carried through one handset.

The phone company will oversee all Tesco's data and telecommunications in 14 countries.

The scheme will create a private network for Tesco, meaning calls between sites in the UK will be free. In the building, calls will be charged at fixed rates, while out of the systems range, they will be routed through a mobile network.