France Telecom, Official Partner

France Télécom takes part in Yves Parlier’s challenge by providing him with all his communications equipment. This partnership stems for a natural coming together of a visionary navigator and a group in the forefront of innovation.

Innovative communications solutions

France Télécom’s commitment alongside Yves Parlier will allow the sharing of unique emotions with the public through technological innovations designed and developed by the group’s R&D team. Thus, thanks to its high compression capacity, the MPEG-4 encoder on board the hydraplaneur allows transmission times to be cut down via satellite and preserve the quality of the images being sent. Another innovation, the possibility to control cameras from the ground, and to edit video at a distance. The hydraplaneur has also been equipped with a Wifi relay, thus allowing in the covered Bassin d'Arcachon zone, use, on the ground, of the data generated by the sensors on the boat.

France Telecom events solutions: the group’s expertise

Through its offer, "France Telecom events solutions", France Telecom group is today a key partner of all great events and help both organizers and Medias share out exceptional moments with the public. The group has managed to take up the challenge whether on land or at sea: from the cycling Tour de France to the great ocean races. Yves Parlier has chosen to board various satellite mobile solutions offered by France Télécom’s subsidiary, France Télécom Mobile SatelliteCommunications: the Inmarsat-Fleet 55 for the transmission by satellite of the images and the videos filmed since the hydraplaneur, in 64k/bits circuit mode or packet, the visio-conference and the reception of maps, the Inmarsat-Mini-C for safety at sea, reception of weather files and the locating of the hydraplaneur, the software SkyFile used on the Iridium Maritime to optimise e-mail exchanges.

France Télécom Mobile Satellite Communication: www.francetelecom-mobilesat.com

Yves Parlier associated to the Orange sailing team

Orange, subsidiary company of France Telecom, is one of the world leaders regarding mobile phones. In France, Orange is the first operator for mobile telecommunications with more than 21.6 billions customers at the date of September 30th 2005. Orange confirms its commitment to sailing by developing, through Orange Sailing Team a project of "ocean channel" meant to transmit to beginners in ocean races, the experience acquired by Bruno Peyron on Orange maxi-catamarans. This programme aims at detecting and helping young talents, at transmitting knowledge and experience and mixing skills.

The France Télécom group

France Télécom serves 130 million customers on five continents and has made a consolidated turnover of 47.16 billion Euros in 2004 in French norms (46.16 billion euros in IFRS norms). Launched in June 2005, the transformation programme NExT (New Experience Telecommunication) allows the group to pursue its operators' transformations so as to become the reference operator of the new telecommunication services in Europe. By 2008, its customers will have access to a bigger communication service simplified in particular through its brand Orange. Second mobile phone and internet provider in Europe, amongst world leaders in telecommunication services to multinational companies, France Télécom (NYSE: FTE) is rated on the Paris and New York Stock Exchange. France Télécom R&D, research and development centre, is implanted on 17 sites among which 9 are abroad. Its 4200 researchers are at the origin of the conception and development of about 70% of the products and commercial services provided by France Telecom.

http://www.francetelecom.com

Media contact:

Sébastien Goalès
sebastien.goales@francetelecom.com
phone: +33 (0)1 44 44 93 93
www.francetelecom.com

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