France’s Orange launches 3G in Britain

LONDON, July 1 (AFP) – French cellphone operator Orange said Thursday it would launch third generation (3G) mobile telephone services in Britain on July 19, though customers will have to wait until later this year for the new handsets.

The first 3G product to hit the market from Orange will be a data card, aimed at business customers, offering high-speed Internet access for laptop computers.

Orange said it would launch the new 3G handsets in Britain and France later in the year, offering video calling and messaging, naming SonyEricsson and SKorea’s LG as suppliers.

The network will initially cover 66 percent of the population in Britain.

“Today brings us a vital step closer to realising our vision of a truly integrated communication offering, giving our customers simple and convenient ways to access the people, places and content they want,” said Orange chief executive Sanjiv Ahuja.

Orange’s British rival Vodafone announced the launch of a 3G mobile data card for laptops in February and rolled out the technology for cellphone users in several European countries in May.

Hutchison 3G was the first company to launch the new services in Europe in March 2003 but has had a chequered start.

© AFP

Subject: French news