Orange eases Franco-Africa mobile cash transfer for subscribers

The French telecom giant, Orange has announced a new cross continental mobile cash transfer service that would connect its subscribers in France and three west African countries.

The ‘Orange Money’ service would enable subscribers on the network to transfer money via their mobile to other Orange Money customers in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and within Metropolitan France.

“We are delighted to offer the Orange Money solution to our customers living in Metropolitan France and particularly to those with a link to Africa – this is a simple, secure and instant money transfer service between family and friends via mobile,” Patrick Roussel, Orange France Consumer Sales Director said.

.Orange launches #OrangeMoney in #France to allow #MoneyTransfers to 3 #Africa countries & in #France #MobileMoney https://t.co/6RMnRrd7w7

— APO (APO_source) June 15, 2016

Subscribers in the three countries could withdraw money from over 30,000 Orange Money points in the three recipient countries, an unrivaled number of points of sale in these countries.

In the coming days, an Orange Money app would be launched in France as the company looks to expand the money transfer offer from France to other countries over time.

Like other mobile payment platforms across Africa, there is no need for a bank account but rather, a customer needs a mobile plan and then to register for free at a point of sale offering Orange Money with an ID card and proof of address.

A statement from the company read in parts that, ‘‘The Orange Money service, launched in Côte d’Ivoire in 2008, has been a success for the Group. Over 18 million customers already use it in 14 countries in Africa to carry out transactions such as payments and money transfers.

In 2013 Orange launched the first international money transfer service for its Orange Money customers between Senegal, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire. In March 2015, this service was expanded to transfers to and from Airtel Money customers in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal,’‘ it added.

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 40 billion euros in 2015 and 155,000 employees worldwide at 31 March 2016, including 96,000 employees in France.

Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 252 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2016, including 191 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers.