3GScottishUser
26th September 2006, 09:47 PM
The Orange 'Livebox' is a free wireless broadband router given free to customers who elect to take up the offer of free broadband from Orange with a £30+ mobile contract deal. (Existing customers get the same offer if they agree to commit to a new 18 month contract).
The 'Livebox' is more than a simple Wi-Fi' router though. Its programmable and updateable with new services over your phone line. It also has substantial expansion possibilities that will soon provide Video On-Demand and a converged Wi-Fi / Mobile phone service offering seamless calling over your landline, broadband (VoIP) and over Orange's 2 + 3G mobile network. The box has other expansion possibilities too and maybe thats why if you leave Orange they have a condition in your contract that you have to return the device (for reuse prusumably).
It'll be interesting to see what Orange eventullly use the Livebox for and what customers eventually by into. It looks like something with potential far beyond the deals currently on offer that customers can grow into over time. 02's BE offering is now being prepared and Vodafone's alliance with BT promises broadband and more as a collaborative (very cost effective) move.
Mobile, Broadband, Landline, the services are becoming less disctinctive and it looks like there will be some compelling reasons to buy more than one service from a telco in the future. You might not think that now, but just wait a couple of years and the notion of paying separately for Landline, Mobile, VoIP, Wi-Fi and Broadband will seem absurd.
The 'Livebox' is more than a simple Wi-Fi' router though. Its programmable and updateable with new services over your phone line. It also has substantial expansion possibilities that will soon provide Video On-Demand and a converged Wi-Fi / Mobile phone service offering seamless calling over your landline, broadband (VoIP) and over Orange's 2 + 3G mobile network. The box has other expansion possibilities too and maybe thats why if you leave Orange they have a condition in your contract that you have to return the device (for reuse prusumably).
It'll be interesting to see what Orange eventullly use the Livebox for and what customers eventually by into. It looks like something with potential far beyond the deals currently on offer that customers can grow into over time. 02's BE offering is now being prepared and Vodafone's alliance with BT promises broadband and more as a collaborative (very cost effective) move.
Mobile, Broadband, Landline, the services are becoming less disctinctive and it looks like there will be some compelling reasons to buy more than one service from a telco in the future. You might not think that now, but just wait a couple of years and the notion of paying separately for Landline, Mobile, VoIP, Wi-Fi and Broadband will seem absurd.