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ORANGE AND GOOGLE SIGN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO INCREASE ACCESS TO MOBILE INTERNET SERVICES ACROSS AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

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Orange today announces a new partnership with Google™ to bring the best of
mobile internet across its full African and Middle Eastern (Orange MEA)
footprint. By combining the strength of Orange’s mobile network and mobile
expertise with Google’s mobile applications, the move offers customers the best
of both partners in terms of access and content through an all-inclusive
digital communication package.

Orange and Google have come together to deliver a package that is tailored
to meet the needs of the market. Customers across the Orange MEA footprint will
now have access to a range of best-in-class online services including, but not
limited to, popular content covering fashion, sport and music, as well as
everyday tools such as Google Search™, YouTube™ and Google Maps™.
The partnership will address the mass market for Orange in Africa and the
Middle East, following Orange’s ongoing success of delivering smartphones
across the region. Through an educational campaign, customers will be offered
advice to better understand the benefits and direct value mobile internet can
bring. Important information will be made accessible, for example, finding
answers to questions instantly through Google Search or the ability to locate
the nearest health clinic using Google Maps. languages, such as Arabic, will be
supported to enrich the customer experience, with additional languages to be
added throughout the year.
The digital communication package is especially well-adapted to youth who
have high data usage and want the latest generation smartphone. Customers will
receive one of the most competitively priced tariff plans in the region
starting at $40, which will consist of a high-specification smartphone and a
communication bundle with voice, SMS and data.
The offer will be delivered in a phased approach and will start to roll-out
across the full Orange MEA footprint in Q2 this year. The device will launch
with the native set of Google services and the goal of the partnership is to
develop local services and content over time.
“As the first pan-Africa and Middle East mobile partnership with Google on
this scale, we are able to bring direct value to our customers by offering the
best access and services to ensure they get the most out of the mobile
internet,” says Yves Maitre, Executive Vice President of Connected Objects and
Partnerships, Orange. “Through this all-inclusive digital communications
package, we are proud to continue our promise to deliver affordable internet
access across the region and connect people to what is essential in their
lives.”
Richard Turner, Director Android Partnerships for Europe, the Middle East
and Africa says: “Today, over three billion people across the world are
using the internet to live better, richer lives and create opportunities for
themselves and their communities. The driving force behind this growth –
particularly in Africa and the Middle East – is smartphones. We are very excited
to work with Orange to bring together data services, content and a high quality
Android™ device to provide a great experience for first-time or experienced
smartphone users.”
The affordable offer will launch on the Orange Rise 31 Special Edition, a
new and exclusive Orange branded 3G device. As the flagship model of Orange’s
2016 smart family line-up for Orange MEA, it will be running on Google’s latest
OS Android 6.0 Marshmallow, has a 4-inch screen and comes with the latest
version of Orange Experience 8 to ensure a smooth and supportive smartphone
experience.
The smartphone is a powerful quad-core product, boasts a high memory
package (1GB RAM/8GB ROM) and will provide access to the full suite of Google
Apps. Coming with a 3 mega pixel camera with LED flash and a 1500mAH battery,
it will be the first Orange customised smartphone to run Android 6.0
Marshmallow at a low-price point.
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