Air Quick Start and Air Back-up: two new wireless options enrich Orange Business Services IP VPN and Small Office Solution services

Air Quick Start is a new option that answers customers' expectations for rapidly deployable connectivity to the Orange IP VPN. Thanks to a specific process and a fully packaged, ready-to-use service, Air Quick Start significantly reduces the lead time to connect.

Air Back-up solves the issue of the last mile disruption thanks to ground/air diversity.
Previously, customers worked directly with local mobile providers to integrate a temporary or back-up access within their IT environment. With Air Back-up and Air Quick Start, the solution is a fully secured package from Orange Business Services eliminating the need for customers to buy separately 3G routers, cards and complex data plans from various mobile providers. Another advantage is that with Air Quick Start, the transition between the 3G temporary solution and the permanent solution is fully managed by Orange Business Services.

The new options are being rolled out gradually in Belgium, Canada, France (for Air Back-up), Germany, Spain and the U.S. by February 09; Italy, Romania, Switzerland , U.K., Netherlands, Poland and Portugal by the end of June 09; and Asia and other European countries in the second half of 2009.

Orange Business Services has qualified and selected one mobile partner per country to ensure the secure interoperability of technology across the network elements and the mobile elements. In many countries such as France, Spain, Switzerland, United-Kingdom, Poland and Romania, Orange Business Services leverages directly Orange mobile assets.

"With these options available now, we are ahead of the competition giving our customers a fully managed, all inclusive, international service to significantly reduce connection times and, when a disruption occurs, downtimes to the Orange IP VPN," said Hervé Kauffmann, senior vice president - Global Communications Solutions, Orange Business Services. "This is another example of how we continue to bring our customers more agility and reactivity."