Satellite Communication System from Orange Business Services Improves Day-to-Day Life

Crest Subsea has chosen Orange Business Services for the communication infrastructure of its diving support vessels. With this contract, Orange Business Services is responsible for integrating and operating a VSAT satellite communication system specially developed for marine communications.

The new VSAT system will connect vessels to the Pacific Radiance network via antenna linked to satellites orbiting the earth. The aim is to implement new communication services and business applications for its entire fleet. The deployment of this new solution will integrate the vessels into the corporate network enabling access to all business applications as if the vessel is a terrestrial office.

Widespread use of satellite-based systems marks real progress for ship crews. With the solution provided by Orange Business Services, crews on Crest Subsea vessels can stay in contact with their families by phone, e-mail and online chat for as long as they want during they are off duty. Communication is a key element for crewmembers working and living far away from their families and friends for long periods. The solution will help increase the appeal of Crest Subsea, which is looking to double its workforce over the then four years.

Homogeneous IP telephony solution

Crest Subsea has chosen a homogeneous IP telephony solution, based on Business Talk Global from Orange Business Services, where the conventional PABX is replaced by a central IP-PBX (Private -Automatic- Branch Exchange) delivering all the benefits associated with unified messaging systems, including number portability, click to call, operational guarantees with its back-up system, flexible billing and a report generation system. Just in case, with this IP telephony solution, Crest Subsea has a private numbering system giving access to the Crest Subsea directory by means of abbreviated dialing.

The VSAT system will provide total global coverage. The space segment is shared by all Crest Subsea vessels and is used for accessing the Orange IP VPN. The interconnection between the space segment and the terrestrial network is through teleports managed by Orange. This new satellite-based communication service, deployed and managed by Orange Business Services, enables Crest Subsea to access all the critical applications for the operation of its vessels and to access databases hosted by Crest Subsea, e-mail, Internet and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol).

Bruce Saunders, general manager, Crest Subsea, said: 'Crest Subsea particularly valued the Orange contribution in simplifying the complexity of the network infrastructure via a joint development of a innovation and research roadmap to enhance workforce effectiveness. By using experienced consultants backed up by the full resources of Orange Satellite team, Orange offered reliable delivery in a leading edge and complex area. Orange not only provided the necessary skilled resources, now also provided resource resilience through management of its internal resource pool. The processes and methods employed by Orange consultants internally are nevertheless being successfully used in the Crest Subsea environment.'

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 clients and 1.4 million users rely on an Orange Business Services international platform for communicating and conducting business. Orange Business Services is a four-time winner of Best Global Operator at the World Communication Awards. Learn more at www.orange-business.com

The key brand of France Telecom

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators. With more than 131 million clients, the Orange brand covers internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates. At the end of 2009, France Telecom had sales of 44.8 billion euros. At Sept. 30, 2010, the Group had a total customer base of 203 million clients in 32 countries. These include 144.5 million mobile clients and 13.3 million broadband Internet customers worldwide. Orange is one of the main European operators for mobile and broadband Internet services and, pursuant to this agreement the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

With its industrial project, "conquests 2015", Orange is simultaneously addressing its employees, clients and shareholders, as then as the society in which the company operates, through a concrete set of action plans. These commitments are expressed through a new vision of human resources for employees; through the deployment of a network infrastructure upon which the Group will build its future growth; through the Group's ambition to offer a superior customer experience thanks in particular to improved quality of service; and through the acceleration of international development.

For more information: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com, www.orange-research.tv

Orange Business ServicesGlobal:Elizabeth Mayeri, +1 212 251 2086elizabeth.mayeri@orange-ftgroup.comorOrangeHlose Rothenbuhler or Khadija Komara, +33 1 44 44 93 93service.presse@orange-ftgroup.com