Orange Business Services tops Vertical Systems Group’s Global Ethernet Leaderboard

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Orange Business Services is the leading global provider of Ethernet Services for the third consecutive year, according to Vertical Systems Group’s Mid-Year 2012 Global Provider Leaderboard. The Global Provider Leaderboard measures retail business Ethernet ports installed at customer sites outside a provider’s primary home country.

“This recognition exemplifies the ambition Orange Business Services has to continue emphasizing high-speed broadband as a key growth area, particularly developing countries.”

The development of very high-speed broadband networks is one of the driving forces of France Telecom-Orange’s corporate project, Conquests 2015. Very high-speed network development is an important factor that helps stimulate economic growth and competition. To achieve this ambition, Orange continues investing in Ethernet Services with a goal of providing 100Mb-10G/s Ethernet access worldwide for strategic customer sites, enabling customers to expand their networks, especially in high-growth and emerging markets.

Orange Business Services offers International Ethernet Link in 79 cities in 40 countries – with seven cities in developing markets added this year. Ethernet access to IP-based VPN is available in 72 countries, with five African countries – Madagascar, Mauritius, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia – added since the mid-2011 report. In addition, Orange Business Services offers Ethernet as a standard solution in Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and South Korea. The company achieved an increase of more than 2,500 Ethernet connections since the last mid-year report.

"Once again, Orange topped our Global Provider Leaderboard on the strength of its network reach, portfolio breadth and worldwide customer base," said Rick Malone, principal at Vertical Systems Group.

“Orange has been in the top position on Vertical Systems Group's biannual Global Provider Ethernet Leaderboard since the end of 2009,” said Nicolas Roy, head of the Network Solutions Business Unit, Orange Business Services. “This recognition exemplifies the ambition Orange Business Services has to continue emphasizing high-speed broadband as a key growth area, particularly developing countries.”

About Orange Business Services

Orange Business Services, the France Telecom-Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is a leading global integrator of communications solutions for multinational corporations. With the world's largest, seamless network for voice and data, Orange Business Services reaches 220 countries and territories with local support in 166. Offering a comprehensive package of communication services covering cloud computing, enterprise mobility, M2M, security, unified communications, videoconferencing, and broadband, Orange Business Services delivers a best-in-class customer experience across a global landscape. Thousands of enterprise customers and 1.4 million mobile data users rely on an Orange Business Services international platform for communicating and conducting business. Orange Business Services is a four-time winner of Best Global Operator at the World Communication Awards. Learn more at www.orange-business.com

France Telecom-Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 45.3 billion euros for 2011 and has 170,000 employees worldwide at June 30, 2012. Orange is the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates. France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Brand Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.