- Orange and Samsung join forces to put Welsh language on a mobile phone for the first time
- The innovative phone includes never-before-available features including menus and predictive text in Welsh
- The phone and service will be available exclusively through Orange from September
- Wales’ Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones and S4C Presenter, Alex Jones joined Orange and Samsung to unveil the phone at The National Eisteddfod of Wales
Orange, in partnership with Samsung, will make mobile phone history with the introduction of the world’s first Welsh language handset. The S5600 will be available exclusively on Orange from 1st September 2009.
The phone, unveiled for the first time today at The National Eisteddfod of Wales, will be available on both Pay Monthly and Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) and is a major step forward in providing Welsh speakers with choices they’ve never had before.
Sian Doyle, Head of Retail, Orange, said:
“Orange is really proud to be the first network to introduce this truly innovative service to Welsh speakers. This initiative is part of a broader commitment by Orange to provide Welsh speakers with more choice. We already include the Welsh language in our stores via bilingual signage, Welsh speaking advisors and other initiatives. The Welsh market is a vibrant and exciting marketplace and we hope that new initiatives like this and the opening of our first community concept store in Monmouth will ensure that Orange becomes the best loved telecommunications company in Wales.”
Specific software was created by Samsung to bring this initiative to life which includes 44,000 plus Welsh words on the device.
Mark Mitchinson, Vice President, Samsung Mobile, UK and Ireland said:
“This is another first for Samsung Mobile following the launch of the Irish language phone in 2008. Yet again it proves that Samsung is at the forefront of market driven change. We feel extremely proud and deeply honoured to be part of this ground breaking initiative and confident that, through partnership with Orange, we will truly delight our Welsh speaking customers by providing a mobile phone with widget, excellent camera functionality and full internet browsing capabilities. This is a real plus for social networking enthusiasts”
Alun Ffred Jones, Wales’ Minister for Heritage, who took part in the announcement at The National Eisteddfod of Wales today, said:
“I would like to congratulate Orange and Samsung for voluntarily developing a handset with a Welsh interface and also offers a Welsh predictive texting facility. This development shows that they recognise not only the benefits of offering services through the medium of Welsh but also the importance of responding to the needs of their customers here. It’s important to be able to have services and technology available in the language so that people can live their lives through the medium of Welsh. ”
Meri Huws, chair of the Welsh Language Board said:
“The Board congratulates Orange and Samsung on the launch of this handset, which is a very big step forward for Welsh and mobile phones. The way that people communicate is constantly changing – it is important that people can use Welsh as easily as they can use English and they can now do that for the first time on this great new phone from Orange and Samsung. We hope that other handset manufacturers and mobile phone companies will follow the exciting example set by Orange and Samsung.”
S4C Presenter, Alex Jones, the face of programmes including Hip neu Sgip and Chwa! said she was delighted to support this new initiative:
“This really is such an amazing idea from Orange and Samsung, it’s perfect for people like me who do a lot of our conversing in Welsh.
“Things like typing and sending text messages are so much easier on this phone as opposed to the issues we all face with English-only phones. I know all my friends will want to get hold of one of these phones as soon as they're in the shops.”
The Samsung S5600 will be available for free on 24 month Orange contracts at £19.57 per month or at £14.98 per month (with a £9.50 upfront fee). It will also be available for £129.00 on Orange Pay As You Go (subject to a £10 top-up when purchased).
The handset will initially be made available in Welsh stores before being rolled out beyond Wales and online.
Visit Orange shops, Orange.co.uk or Samsungmobile.co.uk for more information.
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