UK : Orange UK announced the introduction of a significant new Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), Globalcell, a service for Eastern Europeans living in the UK.

The service offers customers unique SIM-only pre-paid service bundles with all customer interaction conducted in the customers’ native language, which includes Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Slovak and English. It follows four other wholesale successes from Orange - Blyk, IDT, 3 national roaming and most recently Cable&Wireless’ new fixed mobile convergence (FMC) service. This brings the total MVNO customer base on the Orange UK network to more than 2.5 million*.

Marc Overton, VP of New Business, Wholesale & Strategy commenting on the deal said: “Partnering with exciting MVNO’s such as GlobalCell not only demonstrates our desire to become the network partner of choice for new and existing MVNOs but also extends the Orange reach to much broader segments of the market.”

Rochus Schreiber, Managing Director of GlobalCell said: “We are delighted to work with Orange – a partner with strong customer focus. Our goal is to make life for our subscribers easier by offering different types of services in their native language. With support from Orange we deliver a new customer experience for Eastern Europeans in the UK.”

Marc Overton continued, “With the broadest 3G coverage and the largest integrated mobile data network of all the operators, our network is one of our greatest assets and will receive continued investment to ensure it remains the best in the UK.”

Following the recent reorganisation of the Orange UK business, announced by Tom Alexander in June 2008, the New Business, Wholesale and Strategy team, led by Vice-President Marc Overton has strengthened its New Business team with the appointment of Stephen Harris.

As Business Development Director, Stephen will be responsible for finding new MVNO business as well as identifying other new business opportunities that are complimentary to the Orange brand and which drive new revenue opportunities. Stephen has been with Orange for 3 years, and was previously the Commercial Pricing Director. He joins Marc Overton’s team to sit alongside Keith Greenfield, Director of Wholesale, who is responsible for P&L performance of the MVNO business, Roaming and Interconnection.

Overton further commented: “The company has very ambitious plans to grow and evolve into new and exciting areas. Our new team is set up to ensure that as a company Orange has a dedicated focus on the many new and exciting commercial opportunities that exist for the Orange brand.”