Orange today announced another collosal change in the way people get mobile, fixed-line and broadband services. Binning the “Wanadoo” brand they’re now giving free high speed internet access to UK customers who, like me, spend at least £30 a month on a mobile phone contract. They’re also announcing free fixed-line calls to Orange mobiles with their new “Anytime” broadband talk service and plans for One Phone, single email and one address book across mobile and broadband. The future isn’t just bright, it’s converged.
For the ADSL deal there’s no connection fee plus the broadband package – worth £17.99 a month – includes up-to-8-meg broadband, an Orange Livebox (wireless modem), and Orange Wireless & Talk. This VoIP product allows you to use the Orange Internet phone system to make free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines simply by plugging your existing touch tone phone into the Livebox.
The “Orange Business Services” brand was also launched – a new single banner for all of the group’s business communications services. This will bring “Orange Landline for Business”, which reduces call charges up to 20%.
The full Press Release can be found below.
Orange Pioneers Total Communications: Integration of Mobile, Fixed-Line and Broadband plus business communications services
– Orange, Wanadoo, Equant and Etrali unite under the Orange brand
– A single customer experience from sales to service
– Launch of free Orange broadband for Orange mobile Pay Monthly customers
– Free fixed-line calls to Orange mobiles with new “Anytime” broadband talk service
– Future converged services announced, including One Phone, single email and one address book across mobile and broadband
– Orange Business Services: a single banner for all business services
London. Orange today achieves a historic milestone in UK communications, uniting mobile, fixed-line and broadband under one brand for both consumers and businesses, offering a one-stop-shop solution that will radically simplify how we communicate.
Customers of Wanadoo, Equant and Etrali – the internet and business-to-business arms of France Telecom – as well as Orange’s existing mobile base, will begin to enjoy the benefits of simple and convenient access to the most powerful combination of telecommunications services available in the UK, as the companies unite under the Orange brand.
In its first demonstration of integrated communications, information and entertainment services, Orange launched a new nationwide broadband service offering free internet access plus free calls from fixed-line to Orange mobile phones.
Today also marks the creation of Orange Business Services – a single banner for all of the group’s business communications services which builds on the strength of the Orange brand in business and reinforces its position in the global market. Business customers across 220 countries and territories will now benefit from one of the industry’s broadest product portfolios and a simplified customer experience.
The evolution of Orange from mobile company to total communications provider, is at the heart of France Telecom’s NExT strategy for integrated telecommunications, which will see the company use Orange as its flagship brand worldwide, supported by a major through-the-line marketing campaign across Europe.
Orange Broadband Service
Mobile and Internet customers will now benefit from the convergence of two leaders in communications technology. The first tangible example of this will be that new and existing customers signing up to a pay monthly mobile contract with a talk plan over £30 will benefit from free broadband¹. There is no connection fee and the broadband package – worth £17.99 a month – includes up-to-8-meg broadband², an Orange Livebox (wireless modem), and Orange Wireless & Talk – Orange’s revolutionary Internet phone service which offers free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines.
Orange Wireless & Talk is a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) service, however, unlike many other broadband voice services on the market, Wireless & Talk is easy to set up and use. Simply plug a touch tone phone into the Livebox and make calls in the normal way on the dedicated Orange line – perfect for families who may want to make or receive more than one call at a time.
For an extra £6 per month, customers can sign up to the new Orange Anytime package which gives them free calls to UK landlines³ at any time. In addition, if they are an Orange Pay Monthly customer they will also be able to register for free calls to Orange mobiles (using the Wireless & Talk service).
For customers who have yet to discover the difference broadband internet can make to their lives, Orange is extending its TRY initiative, giving them a unique opportunity to experience up to 1meg broadband for 30 days without having to commit to a minimum term contract.
Orange Broadband will be available to buy on the high street through Orange’s 300 UK stores as well as through the Orange Direct Sales team (telesales and the Orange website) and all other broadband retail partners.
From tomorrow (June 1 2006), the Wanadoo and Orange websites will become one, giving Orange customers access to an integrated world of their favourite information and entertainment services. The new orange.co.uk website will also allow customers to access their account information, purchase mobile or broadband products and services, and interact with Orange via the internet. Orange mobile and broadband customers will also benefit from a single point for customer services via the Orange service line on 07973 100 150.
The Orange Broadband service already has more than one million customers (formerly Wanadoo customers) across the UK. Together with its mobile division, Orange now serves more than 16 million people in the United Kingdom.
Orange plans to launch a range of converged products including music, gaming, communication and security services in the near future (see appendix for more details). It also announced that it will launch a home TV service, as well as a One Phone product which lets you use the same phone over your fixed or mobile line depending on whether you are inside or outside the home.
Orange Business Services
Orange Business Services is the new banner for all business communications services from France Telecom. The coming together of Equant’s international IP communication and IT services, Etrali’s voice trading solutions and Orange’s existing leadership in mobile for businesses will provide customers with a more integrated set of services.
Under the banner of Orange Business Services these organisations will continue to address the different segments of the business market with bespoke products and solutions. Corporate and multinational organisations will see a number of immediate benefits including a unified service management and seamless sales approach to shared customers, and the results of collaborative product development that will build on Orange’s leadership in converged technologies.
Orange also begins selling its Orange Landline for Business nationwide today, providing fixed services to existing and new Orange mobile business customers with a single point of customer service as well as call charges up to 20% cheaper than BT. Customer Services will be provided by the dedicated Orange Business Services team.