Orange scores hat-trick at the Mobile News Awards 2010

• Orange crowned the UK's best Large Retailer, wins best Innovative Service and CEO, Tom Alexander is given a Lifetime Achievement Award

Orange swept the board by winning three industry gongs at the prestigious Mobile News Awards 2010 last night.

In the first win of the evening, Orange scooped the coveted Large Retailer of the year category. For the first time, the category was judged by the cumulative scores from Mobile News’ ‘Mystery Shopper’ series, with Orange emerging victorious as the outstanding front runner.

Orange also beat off fierce competition to take the best ‘Innovative Service’ award for Social Life, the mobile social networking aggregation service. Bringing together activity on sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo in one central place, the judges described the service as "another great innovation from Orange that's aimed at the growing social networking market."  A highly commended nod was also given in this category to the Orange Monkey music service.

To top the evening, Orange CEO Tom Alexander was presented with the Mobile News Lifetime Achievement award, which recognises the figures who are fundamental in shaping the mobile industry.  In an illustrious career which has spanned 25 years, Tom Alexander was crowned for his role in taking mobile phones mass market at Virgin Mobile, as well as the huge impact he’s made on the customers and employees of Orange as CEO.

Picking up the award from comedian compare Michael Mcintyre, Tom Alexander, Orange UK CEO said, “My Lifetime Achievement Award topped off what was a fantastic evening for Orange.  These awards are testimony to all of the hard work done by the people of Orange, and take us even closer towards our ambition to be the best loved telecommunications company in the UK.”

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About Orange
Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 131.8 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%. At the end of December 2009, Orange had more than 17.4 million customers in the UK – 16.5 million active mobile customers and approximately 900,000 fixed line internet customers.

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

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