2008

Paris, July 2, 2008

 

 

Orange Business Services is launching Unik for corporate, a fixed-mobile convergence solution that seamlessly integrates mobile and office phones. Employees can be reached anywhere by dialing one number, which rings their office and mobile phones at the same time.

 

Employees can effortlessly move from desk phone to mobile, and back. Voice messages go to one mailbox simplifying life. In addition, international calls from employee’s mobile phones can be routed through their IP PBX to their Business Talk Global voice network, saving money.  Business Talk Global is Orange Business Service’s international voice offering.

 

Unik for corporate is the latest development in the Unik line of services, including Unik, packaged for the consumer market, and Unik for business, which is designed for small companies with less than 50 employees. Unik for business is currently available in France, Spain, U.K. and Poland. Unik for corporate is designed for businesses with more than 200 employees, and can support thousands of users with availability in over 200 countries.

 

Orange Business Services has expertise covering both mobile and fixed networks, as well as integration of convergent features at the customer premises. Converging IP telephony and mobility service into a single solution provides customer benefits, including:

- lower cost:  spend less because international mobile calls can be routed via your IP PBX over Business Talk Global, instead of paying high international rates to your mobile phone provider. Plus, this gives you the ability to track and control these costs.

-  increased productivity:  global teamwork is critical in today’s increasingly mobile work environment, and employees need to be able to work together regardless of their physical location. Unik for corporate increases employee productivity by enabling the use of advanced IP PBX call features from mobile phones through an easy to use menu, including corporate dial plan, call conferencing, call transfer and more.

-  improved responsiveness:  employees never miss an important call from a customer or colleague while away from the office, improving customer relationships. Callers reach them through a single number no matter where they are. Plus, if an employee leaves the company, customers continue to call the office and not the person who left (especially if they go to work for a competitor).

- simplified life:  for employees, Unik for corporate allows people to call one number to reach them, whether they are at their desk or on the go. Plus, they can seamlessly hand off calls between a mobile and desk phone. Checking one voicemail box saves time and trouble as well.

 

“Unik for corporate is a great example of our capacity to innovate by continually bringing new, managed convergence services to our customers and end users,” said Laurent Kocher, senior vice president of Global Services, Orange Business Services. “As a global integrated operator, Orange Business Services can provide a more competitive solution than a single player that is just an integrator or just an operator.”

 

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. France Telecom serves more than 172 million customers in five continents as of March 31, 2008, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of 52.9 billion euros in 2007 (13 billion euros at March 31, 2008). As of March 31, 2008, the Group had 111.9 million mobile customers and 12 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.