Mobile Operators Move Into Fixed Line Business: Orange UK

Orange is introducing a fixed line service for small and medium-sized enterprises, the first to be offered in the UK by a mobile operator.

Orange Landline for Business will provide fixed services to existing and new Orange mobile business customers with a single point of customer service and call charges up to 20% less than BT (British Telecom).

Orange Landline will allow businesses to replace both their current landline rental and call services with a single Orange package, offering a range of voice bundles to cater to specific mobile, national and international needs. A single bill will be available for calls and line rental. The service will not be available to to sole traders or partnerships.

The mobile operator is providing the service following Ofcom's Wholesale Line Rental programme, under which BT is obliged to allow operators to offer both line rental and calls to customers over its network.

The service will offer no minimum call charge and per second billing along with a range of monthly bundles to suit the needs of different sized companies and the nature of the calls they make. The service will include discounted rates for calls between Orange landlines and Orange mobile number ranges, as well as for calls to customers' top ten Business Circle landline numbers (customer nominated contacts).