Paris and Dubai, UAE, Oct. 20, 2008: Orange Business Services signs wide area networking agreement with United Arab Shipping Company *

Orange Business Services has signed a wide area network agreement in the Middle East with United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), headquartered in Kuwait. The contract is worth several million U.S. dollars over three years.

The new Orange Business Services WAN links 28 of UASC's international sites in North America and Europe, and includes 10 sites in the Middle East. These sites can now all talk with the new UASC data center in Singapore, from where they can access critical business applications.

UASC is the largest ocean carrier of dry cargo to the Middle East. It offers a comprehensive range of containerized and break bulk services between the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and the major trade centers of the Far East, Europe, U.S. East Coast and the Indian Subcontinent.

UASC needed the converged and innovative services that IP delivers to allow their employees access to the internet without compromising the corporate network as well as securing sites and branch offices from internal and external attacks. Building a voice network based on IP technology that could also connect UASC's offices together may be considered in the future, particularly because this will cut costs as well as bring flexibility of features that can't be offered by traditional PBX systems.

Paul Vaughan, CIO of United Arab Shipping Company, comments: "UASC is expanding and moving towards a strategy of IT centralization to support our growing business. We needed a total infrastructure solution that was secure and scalable that would help us rise to the challenge of deploying business applications that promise to revolutionize our business model, from the way we operate to the management of pricing for our services. Orange Business Services was able to provide a powerful network solution with the capability to add new services, such as VOIP, in the future."

Lionel Reina, vice president, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Orange Business Services, adds: "We are pleased to be working with one of the largest ocean carriers in the Middle East. The new IP networking agreement with UASC is very significant for us as it's in one of the core markets that is growing very strongly and driving double digit growth in revenues for us in this region."

-Ends-

About Orange
Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators. France Telecom serves close to 174 million customers in five continents as of June 30, 2008, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of 52.9 billion euros in 2007 (26.3 billion euros for the first half 2008). As of June 30, 2008, the Group had 113.8 million mobile customers and 12.2 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers.

Launched in June 2005, the NExT program (New Experience in Telecommunications) will enable the Group to pursue its transformation as an integrated operator and make France Telecom the benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe. In 2006, Orange became the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates, and Orange Business Services the banner for services offered to businesses worldwide. France Telecom is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartiment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more information: www.orange.com, www.francetelecom.com, www.orange-business.com

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.

About UASC
UASC is the largest ocean carrier of dry cargo to the Middle East. UASC has assumed this position on merits as a carrier providing first class service to its customers, which has been maintained, despite ups and downs, in the world.

As a National line, UASC maintains an unswerving commitment to serve the Arabian Gulf. UASC offers a wide scope of services to the Arabian Gulf/Red Sea and Indian Sub-Continent regions thereby meeting the requirements of our customers. The company has maintained its market leadership by being the top carrier, both in terms of liner cargo carryings as well as the port coverage in this region. Uninterrupted and regular shipping services to the Arabian Gulf, maintained during the Gulf war, proved yet again the strong commitment of UASC to this important region.

Press contacts
Orange Business Services - Global, Europe and Asia Pacific Frédéric Gielec
+33 1 46 46 2189
frederic.gielec@orange-ftgroup.com

Orange Business Services - Americas
Elizabeth Mayeri
+1 212 251 2086
elizabeth.mayeri@orange-ftgroup.com

Orange Business Services - Middle East
Jonathan Walsh
WPR, Dubai
+971 (0)50-4588610
jon@wprme.com

© Press Release 2008