www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) agreements have been signed between British mobile network operator Orange UK and its three new partners- Unicom, Catalyst and Axis Telecom. The three companies have been secured on the Orange Partner Platform via Transatel, Orange’s mobile virtual network aggregator (MVNA).

The initial target of 80,000 existing customers with its new wireless services has been expected from fixed line provider Unicom. Mobile voice offerings are expected from Catalyst through partners targeting specific demographics including students, ethnic minorities and SMEs.

The deal will be used by Axis Telecom to offer mobile voice to its 14,000 residential and business customers. The three MVNOs are expected to launch commercially by the mid-2010.

According to Marc Overton, Vice President of Wholesale, Business Development & Partnerships at Orange UK, Orange has very ambitious plans to become the network partner of choice for new and existing MVNOs and with the deal, it is on its way to achieve this but the ambition is to have twenty new MVNOs on the Orange network by the end of the year which again clearly demonstrates that there are untapped opportunities for telecoms services across business and consumer sectors.