2008

Moscow, Oct. 28, 2008

 

Orange Business Services has launched the Moscow-Samara section of its Russian backbone network.

Based on DWDM[1]  technology, the 1,800 km network interconnects Moscow, Ryazan, Ulyanovsk and Samara. Penza and Tambov will be connected to the network by the end of the year.

 

Orange has developed its infrastructure in Russia consistently – a backbone channel from Moscow to the western border has operated since 2004 and next-generation MPLS-based IP network was created in the country in 2006 to implement a long distance phone license. By the end of 2008, the company plans to take into operation the next section of its backbone network.

 

Orange Business Services will use its backbone network primarily to provide services to enterprise customers. Multinational corporations operating in Russia, as well as large Russian companies, will benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure and an extensive portfolio of services, including videoconferencing, convergence of fixed-line and mobile communications, contact centers and equipment hosting. The backbone infrastructure links up to STM-16 level and also supports Gigabit Ethernet. In addition to supporting corporate customers, Orange is planning to support local carrier bandwidth needs as well.

 

Dmitry Ivannikov, general manager, Russia and CIS, Orange Business Services, noted:  “We have always played a unique role in the Russian telecom market due to our focus and commitment to support enterprise customers, our strong expertise in integrating telecommunications and IT solutions and our global reach. With our backbone network now commercially available, we can provide our customers with our broad portfolio of services with a high quality of service.”

 

Construction of the Moscow-Samara section began at the end of 2006. Orange’s regional technical centers in Ryazan, Ulyanovsk and Samara are now connected to the network, which provides efficient and reliable interconnection between the backbone and metro multiservice access networks.

 

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. France Telecom serves close to 174 million customers in five continents as of June 30, 2008, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of 52.9 billion euros in 2007 (26.3 billion euros for the first half 2008). As of June 30, 2008, the Group had 113.8 million mobile customers and 12.2 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 (compartiment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

 

 

[1] DWDM – is a is dense wavelength division multiplexing technology which multiplexes multiple optical carrier signals on a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (colors) of laser light to carry different signals. This allows for a multiplication in capacity, in addition to enabling bidirectional communications over one strand of fiber.