Imogen Calderwood
THE network provider Orange is slashing its costs by 45% to €16.95 per month.
Consumers hope the move will reignite a price war for fast internet access in Spain as it comes during a turbulent period in the Spanish telecoms industry.
Orange, the third largest operator in Spain, is also currently weighing up a bid for Jazztel.
After years of falling company revenues and price wars, there has been increased merger activity with Masmovil and Ibercom recently joining forces.
Earlier this year Vodafone, Spain’s largest operator in Spain after Telefonica, agreed to buy local cable company Ono, putting pressure on Orange to increase its own market share in Spain.
If this 16.95 euro per month includes line rental, then it is certainly a bargain. If not it isn’t anything to crow about.
The cheapest broadband in the U.K. is currently £3.50 per month, plus roughly £15.00 per month line rental.
Incidentally, how fast is this connection ?
Not bad but Orange in it’s homeland has a 3 way package – i/net 24/7, sat.TV, about 60 channels and best of all, 24/7 landline-to-landline to 80 countries. I make many long calls to Taiwan/USA/Oz/Netherlands and of course to the UK.
We pay €49 per month, it used to be €35 but they upped the TVA. SFA (Vodafone) is much cheaper but it’s a hassle to change provider. Nothing like this anywhere else in Europe that I know about.