Orange WLAN at over 8,000 hotspots - New: Safer identification at hotspots via SIM card technology
Lausanne (ots)
From autumn 2004, Orange is offering its customers access to over 8,000 WLAN hotspots at home and abroad. Users can now sign up at hotspots using a safer and user-friendlier authentication procedure via SIM card technology. This method makes it possible in future to switch seamlessly from GPRS to WLAN and UMTS.
Orange has signed a series of partnership deals with the WLAN access providers, Monzoon and TheNet, and the roaming broker WeRoam from TOGEWAnet , and can now offer its customers direct access to over 8,000 hotspots at home and abroad. All Orange Centres in Switzerland will also be equipped with WLAN technology.
The new WLAN offering for private and business customers is a key element of Orange mobile communication solutions. It adds to the existing possibilities with GSM and GPRS standards and allows mobile broadband online access to the most frequented hotspots and on the firm's premises. Mobile work is thus made easier and more efficient.
An important part of the Orange WLAN strategy is the offer of WLAN-based in-house solutions for business customers, which Orange showcased at the X-Days in Interlaken conference. It allows wire free access on the firm's premises to all documents via Intranet and Internet. A few customers already have similar solutions in operation on a pilot basis. The public version of these special business solutions is scheduled for the latter half of the year.
Safe and easy dialup - via SIM card technology
The complicated process required to sign up to a hotspot using one-off passwords by SMS, scratch cards or lengthy dialup procedures is now a thing of the past. As part of its WLAN strategy, Orange is the first mobile operator in Switzerland to offer the SIM-based authentication WeRoam system from TOGEWAnet. It's safe, professional and extremely user-friendly. After entering your personal PIN number, you can be identified immediately through your SIM card and can start working online straight away. SIM-based authentication also allows you in future to switch seamlessly from GPRS to WLAN and UMTS.
For authentication via SIM card technology the user will require a so-called SIM reader with a data SIM card or a WLAN card with built-in reader. Customers can choose between the purchase of several packages and minute-based billing that after a certain amount becomes a flat-fee.
Contact:
Therese Wenger, Media Relations
Orange +41/78/787'10'16
Tel. +41/21/216'10'16
Fax +41/21/216'10'15
E-Mail: therese.wenger@orange.ch
Internet: www.orange.ch
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