The France Telecom-Orange Group has taken an initial series of measures in solidarity with earthquake-hit Haiti, including:

Help to re-establish communications locally by providing technical and human resources
Free calls to the affected areas for customers
Measures aiming to facilitate and promote the collection of donations for humanitarian organisations
In the coming weeks, during the reconstruction phase, the Orange Foundation is committed to making a financial contribution to the rebuilding of schools.

measures to help re-establish communications locally by providing technical and human resources
Orange Dominicana, France Telecom-Orange group subsidiary in the Dominican Republic, has already begun taking emergency action: the local technical teams are working to improve means of communication in the border zone (power generators, fuel, radio stations and other technical equipment), mobiles have been handed out to humanitarian organisations and emergency satellite telephones have been loaned to the authorities.

The Group’s teams in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean region, in France and around the world, have also made themselves available to the local and international authorities to provide the technical and human resources needed to re-establish the telecommunications network in Haiti. Teams of experts and French network technicians (IP and mobile) will be on the ground as soon as possible.

measures to facilitate communication for customers with the affected areas
France Telecom has decided to offer free calls to its mobile customers in mainland France to and from Haiti until the end of January, effective retroactively from 12 January when the earthquake took place. For its fixed-line mass-market customers in mainland France, France Telecom is offering free calls to Haiti until the end of February.


measures to facilitate and promote the collection of donations for humanitarian organisations
In France, as of 15 January, Orange will take part in a one-month operation, SMS for Haiti: three special numbers will allow all Orange customers to make a donation quickly and easily to the Red Cross, the Secours Populaire and the Secours Catholique humanitarian organisations.
To make a one-euro donation, customes simply have to text HAITI to 80222 for the Red Cross, 80333 for Secours Populaire, and 80444 for Secours Catholique. In return, they will receive the logo of the chosen charity on their mobile, along with a message confirming that the donation was registered. Operators will donate the cost of the SMS to the partner associations.

The SMS for Haiti operation and the work carried out by the numerous charities and associations will be reported on the Orange.fr website.
In the next few weeks, during the reconstruction phase, the Orange Foundation will take part in funding the rebuilding of schools.
The Orange Foundation has long-standing partnerships with UNICEF for child education and will support UNICEF’s action in Haiti.

France Telecom-Orange Group mobilised everywhere
In France, employees can make donations to partner associations, which will be added to by the Group.
Various assistance campaigns will also be launched in other countries within the France Telecom-Orange group footprint. This already includes Orange in the Dominican Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Spain, and United-Kingdom.