The Orange Pocket Landline call forwarding service means you never have to miss a call

Orange announces the launch of its enhanced enhanced Orange Pocket Landline service, making it even easier for small and medium (SME) business customers to benefit from having a local landline number which rings directly through to their mobile.

A landline is more than just a local number; it is a symbol of reliability and a way to demonstrate a company's presence to a local community. According to research by Orange, despite the prevalence of mobile phones, a landline is still the staple tool for nearly half of all SMEs, with 43 percent only advertising a landline as their main business number. However, the research also revealed that a landline does have its drawbacks and a staggering 80 percent of businesses miss one to five customer calls every day simply because they can't wait in the office in case the phone rings. Pocket Landline provides businesses with the best of both worlds, offering them the credibility of a landline with the accessibility and flexibility of a business mobile phone, meaning that businesses no longer have to risk missing out on customer calls.

Enhancements to the call diverting service, which launched in January, include options starting at just £10 per telephone number3, so business customers can be sure they're getting the best deal. An additional benefit of the service is that Pocket Landline can be routed to a business' mobile from either their existing landline number or a new one, making it the perfect, hassle free way to stay in contact with customers while on the move and creating a unique business local landline number.

To enhance the success of the Pocket Landline service, Orange is also providing expert training to its sales teams to ensure that customers and resellers are fully aware of the benefits on offer, including business generation, improved productivity and easy management. A survey of current Pocket Landline users found that over three quarters (76%) found the set up of the service quite or very easy. In addition, nearly a quarter of Pocket Landline customers (24%) found that after just four months, the service actually increased the number of calls to their business.

The service will continue to include Pocket Landline Many to One and Pocket Landline One to Many for businesses with more than one user. These flexible options allow businesses to have multiple landline numbers routed through to one mobile, or one landline number routed to multiple mobiles.

Equipped with the same, easy-to-use tools as the original service, enhanced Pocket Landline can be managed using a simple web based portal. This free online tool allows customers to create bespoke announcements for incoming calls, monitor patterns regards incoming business calls and change the availability of their number by time of day or date.

Jason Ferries, Elegance Travel said, "As a taxi company, our vehicles are one of the main ways in which we promote the business. Before using Pocket Landline, we simply included the mobile phone number on the back of cars and buses. However, since adding the local landline number to the same vehicles, we have seen a huge increase in the amount of calls we receive. Pocket Landline gives the business increased credibility amongst the local community – we have even received calls from people who live near-by who have noted how they prefer to call a landline rather than a mobile when it comes to business."

Martin Lyne, SME Marketing Director at Orange said, "A good reputation is a key attribute for any SME and having a landline can help build a business' credibility in a local community. However, reliability and responsiveness are also vital and often a mobile is the only way to truly be available whenever and wherever a customer needs them. We've seen a 62 percent increase in Pocket Landline sales in the last two months, with business customers recognising the benefits of a having a mobile landline. Pocket Landline is more cost effective to use, making sure that businesses never have to miss a call even when they're away from the office."

Note to editors:
1. Orange survey conducted on 550 of Orange small business customers during 16th June to 29th July 2011
2. Orange survey conducted on 550 of Orange small business customers during 16th June to 29th July 2011
3. New pricing structure
3. New pricing structure
Pocket Landline £10.00
Many to One £10.00 per landline number
One to Many (up to 5) £15.00
One to Many (up to 10) £25.00

About Orange UK
Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators. With almost 131 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates.

In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and 3G coverage to more than 93%.

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange Brand Services Limited.

On July 1 2010, Orange UK became part of Everything Everywhere Limited, one company that runs two of Britain's most famous brands - Orange UK and T-Mobile UK - with plans to transform the industry by giving customers instant access to everything, everywhere, offering them the best value, best choice and best network coverage in the country. Everything Everywhere Limited is the UK's biggest communications company, with a combined customer base of almost 28 million people and more than 720 retail stores across the country. Everything Everywhere Limited is registered at Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9BW under the registered company number 02382161.

For more information please call the Orange Press Office 0870 3731500, or visit www.orange.co.uk/newsroom


Press release: Business