NOTE CHANGE FROM 16.10.2025 ON!
Termination of the 151 billing service for work phones
University of Oulu employees have had the opportunity to connect a private billing service (151 billing service) to mobile phone subscriptions acquired for work use. Our service provider Elisa Oyj has decided to remove this service from its selection as of 16 October 2025.
What does this mean for the user?
The termination of the service does not require any action from the employees who used it, other than removing any 151 prefixes stored on the phone from the private numbers, as they will not work in the future. Also, private calls or text messages are not redirected to a private invoice as before, but all calls and text messages are included in the subscription invoice paid from the employee’s cost center.
Use of the work phone
As an employer, the University of Oulu has acquired a work phone and subscription for those employees who, due to their work duties, must also be reachable by mobile phone. As a rule, the use of the telephone and connection is limited to work matters and working hours, and the employer is responsible for the costs of the telephone and connection. The occasional and low-value private use of a work phone does not constitute a taxable fringe benefit for the employee. However, when it comes to foreign calls, it should be noted that depending on the destination country, they may easily become expensive and even though international calls or text messages related to a work matter are allowed, it is recommended to use the Teams application for foreign communications, if possible.
Monitoring
Access invoice subject inspectors, approvers, and foremen monitor the reasonableness of the use of telephones (e.g., international calls and text messages, service numbers) and, if necessary, give instructions.