Orange Extends EDGE Wireless Coverage and Heads for 3G

Europe : Orange Romania made the first step to 3G in October 2004, when EDGE was launched, as a first, in Romania. As a 2.75G technology, EDGE ensures a broadband mobile network for high speed data transfer. To Orange Romania EDGE development represents a first step to 3G, prepared to be launched in 2006.

EDGE coverage was extended fast and includes at the moment all seaside resorts and 12 cities: Bucuresti, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Constanta, Ploiesti, Craiova, Oradea, Iasi, Galati, Arad and Bacau. By the end of the year, Orange aims at extending EDGE coverage to all county capitals and in the next 2 years plans are to reach 70% of the population. The 3G network will be developed progressively at the same time with EDGE coverage extension, as the two technologies complete each other.

There are already 9 EDGE compatible mobile phones available in Orange shops, and they enable Orange customers to use third generation multimedia services like broadband Internet access, sending and receiving digital images, videoclips, photos and music files three times faster than over GPRS. With EDGE, since 2004 Orange customers had for the first time access to video services: live TV and registered TV shows on their mobile phone.
The EDGE Mobile Office Card completes the EDGE offer. Together with a laptop it offers Orange customers fast mobile access to Internet or company Intranet wherever they are in the service coverage area.

After launching EDGE, Orange Romania registered a significante increase of revenues from mobile data services, demonstrating the increased customers demand for data services. EDGE offers in the market the tools for further development of video and multimedia services. Together with the content development of the Orange World wap portal these services usage will increase as Orange will continue to enrich the offer through partnerships with local and international suppliers.

"We are delighted to have extended EDGE coverage in 12 cities and at the seaside in order to deliver customers Internet access at the best quality-price ratio. This recent EDGE coverage extension is just a part of our long term plans in delivering a broadband network. The launch of EDGE in Romania, as a complementary solution to 3G was a good decision and until now we have achieved all our targets, we have reached a very good average revenue per user (ARPU) and we have won an excellent reputation for technical qualities as well as operational ones." said Richard Moat CEO Orange Romania.