Orange squeezes in 3G before Christmas

Orange has promised to switch on its UK 3G network for voice traffic by the end of this week. The mobile operator claims 70 per cent national coverage for its service, and full interoperability with its existing 2G network.

There are three tariffs to choose from, ranging from £30 to £70 per month, all of which allow 50Mb of data traffic and 60 minutes of video calls per month, as well as 2,000 evening text messages per year.

Analyst firm Ovum said in a report: "We wait to see how Orange positions the 3G service. Orange World hasn't gained the same appeal as Vodafone live! but we don't expect them to lead on voice pricing like Hutchison has in the UK. We are curious to see how they are going to stand out from the crowd."

Handsets from LG, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Sharp are available from Orange shops, and Motorola and Nokia handsets will be out in the next few weeks. All phones are Sim locked and cannot be used on other networks.

Orange said that it has trained 2,000 in-store staff to help customers set up their phones, and has 24-hour phone support. Help is also available on the Orange website.

"This is not just a voice shout, it's a data shout," said Nigel Hall, 3G launch director for Orange. "Some people may need help setting up their data services, but it's also about showing them what the phones can do. Once people see applications working in the real world they realise the value."

One of the first applications to be launched is Traffic UK, a traffic monitoring service exclusive to Orange.

The service costs £4 a month (after an initial free month) and offers real-time traffic reports. Users can also log-on to the nationwide traffic camera network to check their route.

Orange's 3G service can be used in seven European countries including France, Spain, Italy and Germany. The Benelux and Nordic countries will be added in the next six months.

The operator also confirmed that its 3G datacards will be able to access Wi-Fi networks next year. The company is currently testing systems with BT.