Orange and Apple to Bring the iPhone 3G to Austria, France, Portugal and Switzerland from July 11
Paris and San Francisco (ots/PRNewswire)
Orange and Apple today announced that the iPhone 3G will be available in Austria, Portugal and Switzerland on July 11and in France on July 17. It will launch in additional markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa later this year. Orange will begin taking pre-orders for iPhone 3G later this month. iPhone combines three products into one small, lightweight device-a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod, and it puts the Internet in your pocket with the best email, web browsing, search and Maps applications ever on a mobile phone.
"At Orange we believe in making the Internet more personal-giving our customers fast access to the information and entertainment that they want, wherever they are," said Olaf Swantee, head of Orange's Global Mobile Operations. "iPhone takes advantage of our widespread 3G networks and together we are making the mobile experience for our customers even better."
"We're excited to extend our relationship with Orange to bring iPhone to more than 12 markets across the globe," said Tim Cook, Apple's COO. "We can't wait to get this revolutionary phone in the hands of even more people around the world."
Orange's mobile networks use the fastest available technologies with speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps. The combination of widespread EDGE, Wi-Fi, 3G and HSDPA networks mean customers can fully enjoy the mobile Internet almost wherever they go. In addition, Orange will offer a range of new services, tariffs and benefits for iPhone customers.
iPhone will launch in Austria, Portugal and Switzerland on July 11 and in France on July 17. Orange customers in the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Luxembourg, Belgium, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Orange's African markets can purchase iPhone later this year. Customers will be able to pre-order from their local Orange websites and iPhone will be available through many of Orange's 6,500 direct retail stores.
About Orange
Orange is the number 1 brand of France Telecom, one of the leading telecommunications' operators in the world. France Telecom, provides services for more than 172 million customers on five continents (figures at 31 December 2007) of which two thirds apply the Orange brand. The Group generated a consolidated turnover of EUR52.9 billion in 2007 (13 billion on 31 March 2008). On 31 Mar 2008, the Group had 111,9 million mobile customers and 12 million broadband customers.
The NExT program was launched in June 2005 (New Experience in Telecommunications) and enables the group to continue its transformation into an integrated operator in view of positioning France Telecom as the benchmark operator in new telecommunication's services in Europe. In 2006, Orange became the exclusive group brand for Internet, television and mobile services in most countries penetrated by the group. In parallel, Orange Business Services has been positioned as the brand used for corporate services internationally. France Telecom is the third ranked mobile operator and the number 1 provider of ADSL Internet access in Europe and is among the world leaders for telecommunication's services for multi-national companies. France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris Eurolist market and on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information: http://www.orange.com, http://www.francetelecom.com, http://www.orange-business.com. Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited.
About Apple
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
Contact:
Orange press contacts: Beatrice Mandine,
beatrice.mandine@orange-ftgroup.com, +33-1-44-44-93-93; Carolyn Owen,
Carolyn.owen@orange-ftrgoup.com/, +44-7891-641-008