Telefonica and Orange Business Services Sign a New Agreement to Bring Telepresence to an Open Environment.(Company overview)

Telefonica International Wholesale Services and Orange Business Services, leading providers of communication services, have signed an agreement to allow customers in their respective networks to conduct seamless telepresence sessions.

This agreement is an important step forward in creating an open environment that allows customers of various telepresence providers open access to connect across a much broader business ecosystem.

The value proposition for telepresence encompasses an end-to-end solution beginning with a consulting phase through to the management of all telepresence network service elements. Choosing a solution from a provider that offers interoperability with other telepresence providers benefits companies by allowing them to connect with customers, suppliers and partners across the global telepresence community.

Implementing a telepresence solution brings key business benefits such as: cost optimization - saving travel-related costs (time and resources), reducing carbon emissions and improving work/life balance, and productivity improvement - fostering a collaborative culture through advanced visual, audio & collaboration technologies that create meeting environments close to real life for small or large groups.

Orange Business Services and Telefonica International Wholesale Services have teamed with Polycom and other leading service providers from around the world to launch the new Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC). The OVCC will solve a key barrier to broader visual communications adoption by enabling interoperable global B2B connectivity for telepresence and video conferencing across service provider networks. About Orange Business Services 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 customers and 1.4 million mobile data 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.

France Telecom-Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with 170,000 employees worldwide and sales of 11.2 billion euros in the first quarter 2011. Orange is the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates. France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange. About Telefonica International Wholesale Services Telefonica International Wholesale Services (TIWS) is the organization within the Telefonica Group that provides global telecommunication services for fixed and mobile carriers, ISPs and content providers. Its portfolio includes international voice, IP, capacity, satellite, mobility, platform and international services for corporations. Telefonica International Wholesale Services uses state of the art technology in all its services and products. It has a TIER 1 Backbone offering direct connectivity between Latin America, USA and Europe through a large international fiber optic network including, among others, the submarine cable, Sam-1. The company carries over 20 billion minutes of international voice a year through its NGN network and its more than 300 direct routes with international carriers. In 2011 Telefonica International Wholesale Services obtained the Best WorkPlaces certification from the Great Place to Work consultant, an international quality standard that places TIWS among the 50 best Spanish companies to work. www.telefonica.com/carrierservices.

Telefonica is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies by market capitalization. Its activities are focused mainly on fixed and mobile telephony businesses, while its broadband business is the key growth driver underpinning both. It operates in 25 countries and its customer base amounts to almost 274 million globally. Telefonica's growth strategy is focused on the markets in which it has a strong foothold: Spain, Europe and Latin America. Telefonica is a 100% private company. It has more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its capital traded on the continuous market on the Spanish Stock Exchanges (Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Valencia) and on those of London, Tokyo, New York, Lima, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo.

Keywords: Broadband, Electronics, Fiber Optic Network, Fiber-optic Network, Finance, Industry, Information and Delivery Service Companies, Investing, Investment, Market Capitalization, Networks, New York Stock Exchange, Orange Business Services, Stock Market, Technology Companies, Telecommunications, Television.

This article was prepared by Telecommunications Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Telecommunications Weekly via VerticalNews.com.