Orange Belgium is to launch six new smartphone plans from Oct. 3 in response to what the mobile operator described as “changes in consumer usage and expectations”.
Orange said the new range of simplified plans, which are named after animals in the traditional Orange fashion, will place an enhanced focus on mobile data by providing “a generous mobile data allowance” in each subscription.
The operator is still maintaining a maximum data allowance of 10 GB under the new Eagle Premium and Eagle plans, although the Eagle plan will cost €39 ($44) a month compared to €60 a month under the current Panther 60 plan.
The new range includes the entry-level Hummingbird plan with just 100 MB of data; the Dolphin plan with 1.5 GB; Koala with 3 GB; Panther with 5 GB; and the two 10 GB Eagle plans.
The plans also include a maximum 500 GB of Orange Cloud storage, while the Eagle Premium plan also offers 1 GB of free data roaming in Europe. All of the offers include unlimited SMS and an unlimited call allowance.
Orange Belgium, which changed its name from Mobistar in May, said it made the changes to its plans because consumers are increasingly demanding larger amounts of mobile data.
“Over 60 per cent of the Belgian population now have a smartphone and regularly use it to connect to the Internet. Their mobile data consumption increased by 70 per cent compared to last year,” the operator added.
Orange Belgium is also offering multi-service benefits with the mobile subscriptions: the Orange Internet & TV cable service can be added for an extra €39 a month to the Eagle plans or for €49 to the other four plans.
Indeed, fixed-mobile convergence is an important strategy for the operator, which finally unveiled its Internet and digital TV offering on Mar. 1. The cable offering places the company in a better position to compete with rival players: Proximus already sells 'Packs' that combine fixed and mobile offerings, while Base Belgium will be able to exploit Telenet's existing triple-play offerings now the two companies have completed their merger.
In June, Telenet started to market quad-play plans called Wigo, but they are not yet marketed under the Base Belgium brand.
For more:
- see this Orange Belgium release
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