Global telecom service provider Orange has launched a new subsidiary called Orange Horizons to seek out new business opportunities in countries where the group is not already present as a mass-market telecommunications provider.
The project, which will leverage the global reputation of the Orange brand and existing Group assets, aims to provide a new source of revenue for Orange and improve customer loyalty across its footprint without the need for significant investment.
Such projects could include the the launch of over-the-top country websites that aim to leverage existing assets such as the Group’s two pan-continental web-portals StarAfrica (Africa) and starMedia (South America), or content-providers such as Deezer and DailyMotion; launch of online stores selling telecoms-related equipment or airtime; or the launch of a virtual mobile operator (MVNO) activity.
The first of these projects has already been launched in South Africa under the Orange Horizons banner. This comprises two websites: firstly an e-commerce website, has been launched to sell telecoms-related devices and accessories.
Speaking on the launch of Orange Horizons, Elie Girard, Senior Executive Vice President of Strategy and International Development, said: “Due to traditional migratory flows or cultural and professional ties, there are many countries where Orange is already very well-known despite not having an operational presence. We think there is strong potential to create a new source of revenues in these countries by leveraging awareness of the brand to propose very simple mass-market offers.”
The Group’s footprint currently covers around 10% of the world’s population, leaving 6.2 billion people who could potentially become customers through Orange Horizons activities! The Group plans to launch business ventures in several other countries in 2013 in Europe and Africa, and will also look at opportunities in South America in order to leverage existing content-related assets such as starMedia (a South American internet portal) for example.
France Telecom-Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 45.3 billion euros($60 billion) for 2011 and has 170,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2012. Present in 32 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 227 million customers at 30 September 2012, including 169 million mobile customers and 15 million broadband internet (ADSL, fibre) customers worldwide. Orange is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.
