2008

Paris, March 11, 2008

 

 

The report defines “leaders” as vendors who ”demonstrate strong vision, especially in terms of defining future market needs. They back their vision by investing ahead of competitors in new or unproven areas, and are generally better positioned for the future. However, significant differences exist between the Leaders in terms of strategy and execution, and none excel in all areas. The long-term outcome is not clear for these providers, as continued challenges may force some to scale back their plans and presence."

 

Barbara Dalibard, executive vice president, Orange Business Services, said:  “We are delighted to be positioned in the leaders quadrant in Gartner’s Asia Pacific Magic Quadrant especially considering the ability to execute criteria. Orange Business Services continues having the highest market share in international IP VPN in Asia Pacific and views this region as a dominant force in global business markets. Thanks to regional investments, Orange Business Services continues  strengthening its position as an integrated communications solutions provider in Asia Pacific.”

 

Network Service Providers evaluated in the Magic Quadrant were  evaluated on their “ability to execute” and “completeness of vision,” which reflect the following specific criteria:

- Ability to Execute. Product/Service, Overall Viability (Business Unit, Financial, Strategy,  Organization), Sales Execution/Pricing, Market Responsiveness and Track Record, Marketing Execution, Customer Experience, and Operations.

- Completeness of Vision. Market Understanding, Marketing Strategy, Sales Strategy, Offering (Product) Strategy, Business Model, Vertical/Industry Strategy, Innovation and Geographic Strategy.

 

According to the report, Gartner places "high emphasis on the range of products and services. While the main focus is on essential network services, we place a lot of emphasis on services beyond connectivity, including managed services and network-related IT services. We give high marks to innovation and relevance to customers, especially in Asia.”

 

¹ Gartner, Inc., “Magic Quadrant for Asia/Pacific Network Service Providers, 2007”, To Chee Eng, Feb. 18, 2008.

 

 

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. France Telecom serves more than 170 million customers in five continents as of December 31, 2007, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of 52.9 billion euros in 2007. As of December 31, 2007, the Group had 109.6 million mobile customers and 11.6 million broadband internet (ADSL) customers.

 

Launched in June 2005, the NExT program (New Experience in Telecommunications) will enable the Group to pursue its transformation as an integrated operator and make France Telecom the benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe. In 2006, Orange became the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates, and Orange Business Services the banner for services offered to businesses worldwide. France Telecom is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband internet services in Europe and one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

 

France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 

 

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted Feb. 18, 2008 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.