Hi,
I do not know much about what level you are at, but in any case, my input is that you take answers to these questions from the decision-makers in the organization, and only then can you formalize a policy. You can walk in with some answers, but please note that these will be changed, so largely, this is an information gathering exercise.
Q - Will you reimburse on actuals or up to a certain amount and at what levels?
Q - Will you provide handsets (Company asset) or cash amounts to buy handsets at different levels or not have any provisions for providing handsets?
Q - Will the company pay directly to a network provider (company agreement with Hutch, etc.) or is it reimbursement-based?
Q - Is the purpose of the policy to make people accessible within the organization or to provide a benefit to the employee or something else?
Q - Will you reimburse all calls up to a limit or only official calls or only official calls up to a limit?
Q - Can you find out the policy of other companies in your industry?
I can help with the structure of some policies that I know of:
A - A Manufacturing organization provides handsets as well as numbers (recovers both when employees leave the organization) through a Closed User group scheme with 'Idea,' which charges them a lower rate per call within the group. Bills for VP level and above are paid on actuals (directly by the company), but for other levels, only official calls up to certain limits are paid, and the rest is recovered from the employee. Sales and customer service people are allowed higher limits for official calls. Only employees at certain levels and holding certain portfolios (largely sales, customer service guys, VP and above, as well as all the direct reports to our MD / Dept heads) are provided with this scheme. Other employees interested in availing the benefit of lower call rates are helped with allotting numbers within the scheme, but all expenses related to procurement of SIM, number, etc., are borne by the requesting employee.
B - A financial organization pays 3000 in the 2nd month of joining to all employees to buy a handset which belongs to them and reimbursed all calls up to a limit of 750 to actuals across the levels in the organization. Though not mentioned in the CTC, this is generally informed by the recruiter when discussing salary. The company also reimburses fixed rentals and has a tie-up with a certain all India network provider for lower call charges within that network, and employees are free to choose either this network or others.
Generally, you should put a clause that the mobile should not be misused when the employee is on leave or on holidays. If it can wait, one should wait until the person returns.
For some time, I was in recruitment and we were provided a reimbursement scheme, but after some time, I noticed that candidates, consultants, and all others tended to call on all days of the week. After some time, I got off the scheme, and much to the ire of the internal customers (read boss), I refused to give my numbers to anyone. Of course, my boss had my number, but since she knew that this was not being paid for by the company, she had to think twice about giving it to the people who called her on Sunday mornings for it. Nonetheless, this is an extreme case and the organization just had major culture issues. But you should consider the nuisance value and show a healthy respect for employees' work-life balance.
Sorry for being so long, and I hope this was helpful.
A