Latest Press Release

Orange: For the first time Europe at local rates

- A first in Europe: tariff plans include local, international and roaming airtime minutes
- New data roaming offer for more cost control abroad

“Orange opens its borders“. This was the promise Orange made to its customers on the occasion of its launch in Austria in September 2008. With the “Hello Europe“ tariff plan Orange actually opened its borders and for the first time in Austria offered international calls at local rates. “Hello Europe“ is among the most successful tariff plans ever launched by Orange. The tariff plan set a new trend on the market and was copied many times. This is the second step: With the new “Europe“ tariff plans for Orange customers, borders no longer exist within the EU. For the first time in Europe these new tariff plans include local, international and roaming airtime minutes.

“Effective immediately, Europe is available at Orange at local rates“, explains Orange CEO Michael Krammer. “Since more than 80 percent of Austrians roam exclusively in EU countries, we have created the first single market tariff plan in all of Europe for our customers. In future, Orange customers will make phone calls at more attractive rates than the EU prescribes.“

As for user behavior, Orange customers roam primarily when they are on vacation. One third of the total roaming volume takes place in the months of June, July and August. Michael Krammer comments: “Be it vacation or business roamer, the new “Europe“ tariff plans provide an optimum offer for every user group.“

Making phone calls without boundaries with the ”Europe“ tariff plans
The “Europe“ tariff plans are customized to three customer groups. Europe 35 for only 25 euros per month includes everything the average roamer requires: 1000 airtime minutes to all networks in all of Austria as well as 100 international or roaming minutes (active/passive). Europe 45 includes 1000 airtime minutes in Austria for 35 euros, 200 airtime minutes within Europe, 100 text messages to all networks in Austria and within the EUR and a data volume of 100 MB per month in Austria. Europe 49 for 39 euros includes 1000 airtime minutes in Austria, 300 airtime minutes within the EU, 1000 text messages to all networks in Austria and within the EU and a data volume of 1 GB in Austria.

Orange voice roaming packages for existing customers
There is also a range of attractive offers for existing customers: The “Europe Travel Package“ is ideal for all holiday makers and offers 20 airtime minutes of active and passive roaming to all European networks. The package costs only 5 euros and is valid for 30 days upon activation.
For frequent travelers “Europe Roaming 100“ and “Europe Roaming 500“ are an ideal solution.
For 20 euros a month “Europe Roaming 100“ includes 100 active and passive airtime minutes in the EU (preferred partners), while “Europe Roaming 500“ for 100 euros comprises 500 roaming minutes per month in preferred partner networks.

Data roaming: new offers increase usage
Data roaming is a growth market. Customers would also like to use new applications for iPhone abroad. “However, usage is quite low compared to voice roaming as prices are still high“, explains Krammer. “Six in ten Orange customers use voice roaming, but only one in ten uses data roaming. In order to boost usage at the same time using cost control, Orange now has several new data roaming offers.“

The “internet package Europe Travel“ offers data roaming for 1 euro/MB to all EU networks for 30 days upon registration with the Orange service team. “Europe Travel“is ideal for customers using data roaming every now an then, primarily to check their e-mails.
For customers who do not wish to do without their iPhone & Co. abroad, there are the two “mobile internet roaming“ packages for 79 and 98 euros respectively. They include 100 and. 200 MB respectively in all preferred EU partner networks.
The “Mobile Internet Europe“ package is ideal for business customers as it not only includes a data volume of 15 GB, but also 250 MB for data roaming. It costs 49 euros with a 24-month term of contract and is valid with the EU (preferred partners).