2007

London, April 03, 2007

 

 

Orange Business Services has taken strategic steps to further strengthen its position in China, including expansion in the areas of DSL, Ethernet and WiFi. This three-fold expansion of access services gives Orange Business Services’ customers the scalable communications solution they require.

 

DSL is part of the Small Office Solutions portfolio of services targeted to small or branch offices of multinational corporations. In this context, DSL is a solution that enables customers to cost-effectively and easily connect their smaller sites and branch offices to their corporate network. In China, DSL is offered extensively in Shanghai, Beijing and in 18 out of 23 China provinces through China Netcom and China Telecom affiliated local ISPs in order to create the best geographic coverage possible. In addition to China, Orange Business Services provides DSL in 53 other countries. We already provision and manage business-class DSL for more than 170,000 customer sites worldwide.  Additional coverage is planned for Russia (Moscow area), New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Costa Rica, Ukraine, Thailand, Philippines, Kenya, Algeria, Croatia by end of Q2 07.

 

Ethernet Access provides high-speed, high-performance fiber connectivity to large customer locations, perfect for data centers and headquarters. Ethernet Access in China is offered in 21 cities through our partnership with China Telecom. The additions of DSL and Ethernet Access in China are the cornerstones of using an adaptive network, leveraging the right size connections for each location at a competitive price. Orange Business Services offers Ethernet Access in 20 countries.

 

In addition, Orange Business Services is adding more than 1,000 WiFi hotspots throughout China through Business Everywhere™, its award-winning mobility solution that benefits mobile employees. These hotspots are in partnership with Coordinate, an aggregator of the largest business-grade WiFi networks in China, including booming business centers like Shanghai and Beijing, through partnerships with China Mobile, China Netcom and China Telecom among others. In addition, Orange Business Services will offer WiFi access at premier venues such as major China airports, select hotel chains and the major sites of the 2008 Olympic Games. These additional hotspots bring our worldwide coverage to more than 60,000 hotspots in 60 countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.

 

“We have complemented our provider services with some strategic partnerships that reinforces our strong position in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in China,” said Yee-May Leong, senior vice president, Asia Pacific Sales and Marketing, Orange Business Services. “Through these expansion initiatives in China, Orange Business Services demonstrates our broad capabilities from the headquarter/data center level to the small office/branch office through to mobile employees. We will continue enhancing our footprint in high-growth markets where customers need business-critical, cost-effective communications solutions and services.”

 

 

Orange Business Services represents the business communications solutions and services provided by the France Telecom Group as of June 1, 2006. They were previously sold under the France Telecom, Orange, Equant, Etrali, Almerys, EGT, Expertel Consulting, France Telecom Intelmatique, SETIB and Solicia brands.

 

The offers include converged voice, data and mobile services as well as IT expertise and managed services, all designed to transform business processes and improve productivity. Orange Business Services is present in 166 countries and territories and serves customers in 220.

 

 

Orange Business Services’ Business Everywhere™ brings employees on the move a range of managed mobility solutions to stay in touch with their business partners. It enables them to work efficiently anywhere in fully secure conditions, with the same level of comfort as in the office and with one single bill at the end of the month for all worldwide connections.