Orange (telecommunications)
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | April 1994 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Parent | France Télécom |
| Website | www.orange.com |
Orange SA IPA: [ɔʀɑ̃ʒ] is a mobile network operator and an internet service provider that is a subsidiary of France Télécom. Orange also belongs to the FreeMove mobile phone alliance. Orange is now the unique commercial facade of almost all France Telecom services.
It is a mobile network operator in Europe, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (see Orange UK), Switzerland, Austria[1] (see One), Poland (see Orange Polska), Slovakia (see Orange Slovensko), Romania (see Orange Romania), Moldova (see Orange Moldova) and Spain (see Orange España); in Africa and the Middle East, including Egypt (see mobinil), Côte d'Ivoire, Jordan (see Orange Jordan), Cameroon, Botswana, Madagascar, Mali, Senegal and Réunion; and in the Caribbean, including Martinique, French Guiana, St Kitts, Dominica and the Dominican Republic.
It also franchises the Orange Brand in Israel (see Partner Communications Company Ltd.) and has franchised it in Australia, India (until 2006) and Hong Kong in the past. It had a joint venture with Charoen Pokphand in Thailand until 2005.
Altogether, as of July 2006 Orange Mobile had 88.6 million users.[2]
Introduction
Orange (mobile network operator)
Microtel Communications Ltd was formed in April 1990 as a consortium comprising Pactel Corporation, British Aerospace, Millicom and french company Matra (British Aerospace soon acquired full control of the company). In 1991 Microtel was awarded a license to develop a mobile network in the UK, and in July 1991 Hutchison Telecommunications (UK) Ltd acquired Microtel from BAe. BAe was paid in Hutchison Telecommunications (UK) Ltd. shares, giving the company a 30% share. Microtel was renamed Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd. in 1994. Wolff Olins and advertising agency WCRS created the Orange brand. (The logo is square because a round Orange logo was already in existence designed by leading Graphic Designer Neville Brody for the reprographics and printing firm that is also known as Orange). The Orange network was launched on 28 April 1994.
Orange plc was formed in 1995 as a holding company for the Orange group. France Télécom formed the present company in 2001 after acquiring Orange plc (which had been acquired by Mannesmann AG, itself purchased by Vodafone shortly after, leading Vodafone to divest Orange) and merging its existing mobile operations into the company. The company was initially 100% owned by France Télécom (although there were and remain minority investors in some of the national operating companies). In 2001 15% was sold in an IPO, but in 2003 this was bought back in.
Orange (ISP)
Orange as an ISP operates in France, the United Kingdom, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Equatorial Guinea, the Netherlands, Spain, Senegal, Slovakia and Switzerland. France Télécom also operates as an ISP in Poland through its stake in Telekomunikacja Polska, which is now being co-branded as Orange. It is currently the largest ISP in Europe with over ten million subscribers (including those of Telekomunikacja Polska), largely concentrated in France, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland, and was originally known as Wanadoo.
The origin of the name Wanadoo is subject to some controversy, as some maintain it came about in the late 1990s when many internet companies competed to choose "Yahoo" sounding names. However it might be that the name Wanadoo first appeared in an internal project at France Télécom, much in line with a number of other such projects such as Intranoo, Tatoo, Netatoo and @noo.
Wanadoo was floated on the stock market on 18 July 2000. In 2000, Wanadoo also took over the major British ISP Freeserve, which had previously been part of the Dixons Group (now DSG International plc). Following the buy-out, Freeserve maintained its own branding for a while before finally changing to the Wanadoo name on 28 April 2004.
However, the name Wanadoo changed to Orange on 1 June 2006 to simplify branding by common parent company, France Télécom. This merging of companies has created a single brand offering mobile telecommunications and internet services.
Recent changes
In June 2005, France Télécom announced that its ISP Wanadoo and business service Equant will both be renamed Orange in 2006 to harmonize branding.[3] In July 2005, France Télécom announced its intention to acquire 80% of the Spanish mobile phone operator Amena, a deal that was completed in November 2005. Amena was also rebranded to Orange with Wanadoo in Spain and Uni2, a fixed line provider, to complete a "triple play".
At the beginning of 2006, Orange in Slovakia started providing triple-play services via FTTH under the name "Orange Homebox".
From July 2007, T-Mobile Netherlands [1] is trying to buy Orange Netherlands from France Télécom. The European Commission has already approved the acquisition. It is not seen as a danger to competition.
Use of the Orange brand by other companies
Because the brand was originally owned by Hutchison, many of Hutchison's Asian and Oceanic subsidiaries continued using the Orange brand until recently.
On the 1 February 2006, Hutchison Telecom announced its Australian affiliate would withdraw the Orange brand name. Its CDMA network was shut down on August 9, 2006, after the vast majority of its customers had already migrated to the 3 network (also owned by Hutchison).
The Orange brand name has also now been removed from India. Orange Mumbai has now been rebranded to Hutch. The website simply states that "Orange is now Hutch in Mumbai" before redirecting to the Hutch website.
Orange SA pulled out of its joint venture with Thailand's TelecomAsia, TA Orange, in 2003. TelecomAsia (now True Corporation) continued to use the Orange brand until 2006, when the operator was rebranded as True Move.
The Orange brand continues to be used under licence by Partner Communications Company Ltd. in Israel.
Operations within the Orange Group
Most operations in Orange SA are also branded Orange, but not all - the exceptions being Mobistar in Belgium, One in Austria, Mobinil in Egypt and Optimus Telecomunicações in Portugal. This generally relates to whether the parent company has a majority holding.
Criticism
On the 21st of March 2007, Watchdog, a television series by the BBC focusing on consumer protection published the results from a Broadband survey they held. According to the survey Orange is the worst ISP in the UK. 68% of Orange customers that took part in the survey said they were unsatisfied with Orange's Customer Service, Orange was voted as the most unreliable broadband provider, Orange had the highest number of dissatisfied customers and two thirds of Orange customers experienced problems cancelling their Orange broadband.[4]
A consumer organization forum web site known as OrangeProblems focuses on the poor level of service provided by Orange Broadband in the UK. Initially set up as WanadooProblems.co.uk, the site focuses on the infamous Orange Local Loop Unbundling and poor Customer service but covers a wider range of Orange operations.
Orange Mobile have been criticised during a Channel 4 News investigation for a lack of security which potentially exposed customer records to fraud.[5]
In August 2007, Orange was critised for summarily deleting email accounts tied to old Freeserve and Wanadoo pay-as-you-go dial-up accounts with no warning. [6]
See also
- 3 (telecommunications) new brands set-up by Hutchison Whampoa after Orange.
References
- ^ "Mid Europa Partners and France Telecom/Orange to acquire One GmbH, the third mobile operator in Austria" (Press release). Mid Europa partners. 2007-06-21. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
- ^ "Company Overview". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
- ^ Richardson, Tim (2005-06-29). "Wanadoo brand to be scrapped". The Register. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
- ^ "BBC Watchdog Broadband Survey". Retrieved 2007-03-21.
- ^ Channel 4 News
- ^ "Night of the long juicer"
External links
- http://www.orange.com - Main Orange Group's site
- Orange.mobi - Orange's Official Mobile Website
- Orange networks:
Orange Botswana
Orange Cameroon
Orange Caribbean
Orange Dominica
Orange Dominicana (Dominican Republic)
Orange Equatorial Guinea
Orange France
Orange Israel
Orange Ivory Coast
Orange Jordan
Orange Liechtenstein (subsidary of Orange Switzerland)
Orange Madagascar
Orange Mali
Orange Moldova (61% controlled)
Orange Netherlands
Orange Poland
Orange Romania
Orange Senegal
Orange Slovakia
Orange Spain
Orange Switzerland- Orange Reunion
Orange UK
- Orange-controlled or joint-controlled interests (non-Orange branded mobile operators)
- Other Orange websites
- Orange Partner - Orange Group's developer/partner programme, enabling businesses worldwide to commercialise their applications, content or solutions on the Orange network.