Orange Business Services announces the market’s first Unified Communications as a Service offer with global reach

Business Together as a Service enables new ways of working for multinational companies

PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

During a global event held today in Paris, Atlanta, Frankfurt, Moscow and Singapore, Orange Business Services announced the global expansion of Business Together as a Service. After its launch in France and Europe, Business Together as a Service is now the market’s first Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) offer available for large enterprises on a global scale. This high-performance, high-security cloud service is hosted in three regional data centers, part of the Orange Business Services dedicated cloud computing infrastructure.

Recognized as “Best Cloud Service” at the World Communications Awards 2012 and based on theCisco Hosted Collaboration Solution, Business Together as a Service is designed to enable new ways of working for employees, while making it quick and cost-effective for IT management to deploy these tools. Comprising unified communications and collaboration tools offered via the cloud, such as telephony, unified messaging, Instant Messaging with presence, conferencing (audio, Web and video), and mobility, Business Together as a Service allows access anytime, anywhere, using a PC, tablet, smartphone, or dedicated device – such as an IP phone.

3M chooses Business Together as a Service

Using the service, 3M will improve collaboration and productivity among its 20,000 employees at 75 sites across 25 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Implementation will take place on a site-by-site basis with 16,000 seats being rolled out by the end of 2014 and the remaining in the following three years. 3M plans to eventually extend the service to Asia Pacific and Latin America.

supports companies’ global expansion and efficiency

As a turn-key, end-to-end solution, Business Together as a Service offers a wide range of benefits:

• for the business: As a cloud-based solution, the pricing model is a key differentiator. Customers benefit from the same, predictable global pricing regardless of location. Buying “as a Service” means companies pay only for the applications employees use on a pay-as-you-go basis and do not have to invest upfront in technology, resulting in lower Capex. Companies can quickly open new offices, integrate a newly-acquired company and react to other changing business needs. They also benefit from improved employee productivity and satisfaction;
• for the IT manager: Using a unique, easy-to-use management portal, customers can select from six pre-set profiles combining different sets of communication and collaboration tools to match employee needs. Also, the number of end-user accounts can be scaled up or down quickly and easily, and set-up of a new user profile requires only a few clicks; and
• for the end-user: The new tools employees need are supported by the devices they like, including BYOD, through a single end-user client. Employees have the ability to work from anywhere, anytime and benefit from a consistent user experience. Also, the solution facilitates real-time collaboration, improving productivity and accelerating decision making.

“Globalization, widely-dispersed teams, increased consumerization of business IT, and greater mobility are all converging, making the ‘new workspace’ essential for multinational companies,” said Vivek Badrinath, CEO, Orange Business Services. “Employees need productivity tools that make it faster and easier to get things done. Business Together as a Service enables them to have boundaryless access to those tools, which helps achieve the desired work-life balance and mobility that is expected from today’s workforce, particularly by Gen-Y talent.”

rolled-out on Orange Business Services’ next-generation global cloud infrastructure

Available on six continents, the solution is supported by three Orange Business Services Tier III+ or Tier IV data centers, located in Atlanta, Frankfurt and Singapore, which are part of the Orange Business Services dedicated cloud computing infrastructure. The delivery of the service from three regional data centers guarantees the quality of service to users in every region, while globally Orange Business Services is able to provide a consistent offer and delivery to all users in an enterprise. Additionally, cloud services hosted by Orange offer customers the highest levels of security, including ISAE 3402 certification.

A replay of the event will be available from April 25 at: http://www.orange-business.com/en/ucaas-april23

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 was awarded three of the telecom industry’s highest accolades at the annual World Communication Awards 2012 – Best Global Operator, Best Cloud Service and the User’s Choice Award. Orange Business Services is a five-time winner of Best Global Operator. Learn more at www.orange-business.com.

France Telecom-Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with annual sales of 43.5 billion euros and has 170,000 employees worldwide at Dec. 31, 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 (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 trademarks of Orange Brand Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.

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