•    Will allow for virtual face to face meetings between participants in multiple locations
•    The adoption of the solution leads to cost efficiencies in the long term

Nairobi: Tuesday, April 30, 2013… Integrated Communications Service provider Orange, managed office solutions provider ESBC and Sight & Sound, the authorised partner of value added distributor of Polycom solutions in the Middle East and Africa - FVC, launch the Orange Telepresence Centre today. Complete with a Polycom OTX 300 Immersive Telepresence Suite, the commercial facility, which will be hosted at the ESBC’s new Business Centre at the Landmark Plaza, will be used to demonstrate the value of video conferencing to local businesses, thereby making communication more efficient.        

Telepresence is gaining popularity as a technology that enables groups of people to meet and collaborate in multiple locations worldwide, while feeling as if they were all in the same room together at the same time. The study, The Telepresence Revolution commissioned by the Carbon Disclosure Project (DCP) and released in 2010, revealed that “telepresence technology can help speed decision making, improve human resource productivity as well as provide employees with a better work-life balance, as a result of reduced business travel.”

“Aside from considerably reducing global warming, the Telepresence solution saves time and money used on trips; it also promotes work-life balance. ESBC is proud to be one of the key partners involved in such cutting edge technology, providing an inexpensive business solution to the market,” says ESBC CEO, Alex Andrewes.

“This solution is an immersive experience that supports an eco-friendly approach, reducing carbon emissions generated by air or road travel. As the threat of global climate change grows, there is growing demand on business to implement sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprints by cutting down on high-emission factors,” says Orange Chief Executive Officer, Mickael Ghossein.

“Collaborative work groups, global development teams and everyday meetings are enhanced by the clarity, rich video and content detail offered by Polycom’s Open Telepresence Experience (OTX). Communication is an important tool in business and this video conferencing facility will allow dynamic enterprises in Kenya to communicate and collaborate with partners around the world, save on time, travel and resources,” adds FVC’s General Manager for East and West Africa, Ahmed Youssef. 

“Our team of experts has been providing Audio Video conferencing solutions to customers in Kenya and this region, for a long time. Our solutions not only equip conference rooms with this technology but also empower the users by connecting from their smart phones and tablets. The service we launch today takes this to the next level by bringing the fully immersive telepresence experience to users,” says the CEO of Sight & Sound, Rajesh Lakhani. 

Orange, the provider of the link to power the solution, has also embarked on a countrywide upgrade of its infrastructure, replacing copper with fibre optic cabling. This project will enhance network reliability with the installation of next generation network switches throughout the country. Fibre optic cabling reduces costs of service as well as allowing for the increase in the bandwidth offering. This will in the long term enable the company build on the best practices and benefits from the expertise of Orange Business Services, its parent affiliate’s enterprise function, bringing a wealth of innovative products and services to Kenya. 

During the launch event, guests got to experience live telepresence with an interactive call with specialists overseas. The launch of the Orange Telepresence Centre was followed by the launch of FVC’s Kenya office, in Nairobi, as the value added distributor of emerging technologies extends its presence in the region.  

•    Between 20 and 25 percent bonus airtime for on-net voice and SMS on purchased data bundles.
•    Free subscription to the Holla tariff for customers purchasing the unlimited data bundles.
•    The bonus offer applies to pre-paid Orange Mobile customers.
•    The promotion will ride on existing mobile Internet data bundles and the unlimited mobile Internet offering.

Nairobi: Friday April 26, 2013… For the next two months, integrated communications service provider, Orange, will reward subscribers with bonus on-net voice and SMS airtime as well as free subscription to its Holla tarrif for every purchase of mobile internet bundles. Data bundles ranging from 50MB to 5GB qualify for bonus airtime ranging from KSh 20 to KSh 700 while the unlimited data bundles qualify for free subscriptions to Holla.

The promotion is the flagship offer in an Orange mobile Internet campaign named ‘Opportunity Changes With Orange.’ Personified by Julius Yego, the Kenyan javelin athlete who earned the nickname ‘the YouTube Athlete’ for mastering his prowess via YouTube videos and making it to the London Olympics (2012) finals, the campaign positions the Internet as a path to achieving goals, dreams and ambitions.

CEO, Mickael Ghossein said Yego is an example of the unlimited opportunities for learning and development that Internet access offers.

“At Orange, we view Internet as a solution and mobile Internet as a solution in your hands. Yego is the first of many who will give us the privilege of telling their story of a dream that became a reality through mobile Internet,” he said.

The two-month campaign will involve consumers of mobile Internet in a variety of experiential platforms, inviting them to share their own inspiring stories and examples of Internet-enabled opportunities. “We hope that our micro site will become the home of these stories during this campaign and long after it,” said Ghossein. 
According to Yego, getting to access the Internet was akin to having an online tutor.
"I watched YouTube videos and it really paid off for me, to see the training techniques and skills that professional Javelin throwers use. Interestingly, it was via the Internet that Orange and I connected to tell my story,".
This latest offer bolsters the existing reward scheme from Orange, in which customers receive varied amounts of airtime, dependent on their usage as well as the length of time that they have been on the network.

•    25 percent drop in off-net call charges
•    50 percent drop in off-net SMS charges
•    On-net calls (GSM and Orange Wireless) remain at KSh 2 per minute (on-net calls from Orange Mobile include calls to Orange Fixed lines)
•    Offer is available round-the-clock and will apply as the default ‘pay as you go’ rate
•    Pay As You Go refers to the tariff enjoyed by customers who do not subscribe to a bundle

Nairobi, April 11, 2013…Integrated telecommunications company, Orange, has reduced its mobile calling and SMS rates starting at midnight tonight.

The new tarrif offer, dubbed Tujuane, reduces off-net calling rates to KSh 3 per minute down from KSh 4 per minute. Orange mobile customers will also enjoy a 50 percent reduction on on-net and off-net SMS rates, down to KSh 1 from KSh 2. The cost of Orange-to-Orange calls remains consistent at KSh. 2 per minute and this includes calls from Orange Mobile to the company’s fixed line network.

Company CEO Mickael Ghossein said the new tariffs are Orange’s response to price elasticity of the market, which significantly influences usage habits of subscribers.   

“Our reduced pay as you go tariffs assure our customers of affordable service, whether they need to communicate on our network or to another network,” said Ghossein.
Customers that are currently subscribed to bundled offerings on Orange will still the benefits of the new Tujuane tariffs. When not subscribed to a bundle offer, they will automatically roll onto this new pricing plan. 
Tujuane, which is valid till May 31, 2013, is available 24-hours at no subscription fee making it attractive to entry level users who, typically, have less disposable income.

As additional value, Tujuane comes with free access to Facebook Zero as well as to Wikipedia, the world’s largest online encyclopedia. 
“The mobile phone is becoming an increasingly vital communications tool. However, calling rates can restrict access for price-conscious consumers. We aim to remain responsive to our consumer needs and expectations,” said Ghossein.

Other value-for-money offers that Orange is known for in the market include Holla, Usinyamaze and Jienjoy na Mbao.

• Event has attracted more than 450 entries

• Awards to be announced on May 4, 2013

Nairobi, April 4, 2013… Integrated telecommunications services provider, Orange, will be a category sponsor for this year’s Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) Awards.

The company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Maureen Sande, says that Orange is working strategically with and is committed to supporting Kenya’s tech/blogging community.

“Practitioners and experts in different fields are increasingly contributing to online content generation in Kenya, and predominantly through blogging. The digital space is gaining dominance as source of information: current affairs, business, technology, fashion, history, niche areas especially on professional content,” said Ms. Sande. She lauded BAKE for the Awards, noting that it is establishing a credible recognition platform for generators of online content.    

Kenya’s national ICT Policy (2006) notes the underdevelopment of local content in the country’s digital space. The policy advocates for stakeholders boosting effort to increase local digital content.

“Orange is committed to supporting digital inclusion, a pillar of Kenya’s ICT Master Plan 2012 – 2017,” said Ms. Sande.  

BAKE’s Chair, Kennedy Kachwanya, said that the blogging community is growing due to the role of social media evolving into a more defined and distinct function, allowing for more avenues of communication in near real time.

The BAKE Awards, which are in their second consecutive year, have witnessed a marked increase in the number of entries; from 300 in 2012 to about 450 in 2013. Moreover, the dynamics and diverse content have necessitated the introduction of new categories.

BAKE is a body that promotes local content creation, representing a group of content creators keen on building their profile and professional networks. This year’s awards gala will be held on May 4, in Nairobi.