Editing Orange Group (section)

==Controversies==
{{criticism section|date=October 2022}}

=== Staff suicides ===
{{See also|Orange S.A. suicides}}
Between January 2008 and April 2011, more than 60 France Télécom employees died by suicide,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/selbstmordserie-france-telecom-mitarbeiter-verbrennt-sich-selbst-a-759124.html|newspaper=Der Spiegel|title=Selbstmordserie: France Telecom Mitarbeiter verbrennt sich|date=27 April 2011}}</ref> some leaving notes blaming stress and misery at work. In October 2009, the wave of suicides led then Deputy CEO Louis-Pierre Wenes to resign under trade union pressure, to be replaced by Stéphane Richard.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/france-telecom-idUSL711729320091007?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=11604|work=Reuters|title=France Telecom talks with unions on suicide spate|date=7 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/09/france-telecom-staff-suicides-phone|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London|title=Wave of staff suicides at France Telecom|first=Angelique|last=Chrisafis|date=9 September 2009|access-date=2 May 2010}}</ref> Faced with multiple suicides of employees, the company promoted Stéphane Richard to the chief executive officer on 1 February 2010, while Didier Lombard remained as chairman.<ref>{{cite web|last=Campbell|first=Matthew|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-01/france-telecom-names-richard-ceo-lombard-to-remain-chairman.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205091539/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-01/france-telecom-names-richard-ceo-lombard-to-remain-chairman.html|title=France Telecom Names Richard CEO; Lombard to Remain Chairman|publisher=Business Week|archive-date=5 February 2010|date=1 February 2010|access-date=11 August 2013}}</ref>

The suicide rate among France Télécom's 102,000 domestic employees was 15.3 per year in that year, compared with an average of 14.7 suicides per 100,000 in the overall French population.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/mental_health/article6844809.ece|title=Why are France Télécom employees committing suicide?|last=Sage|first=Adam|date=23 September 2009|newspaper=The Times|location=UK|access-date=6 October 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Following an investigation, the [[Inspection du travail]] (Labour Inspection) told the [[trade union|labour union]] [[Sud-PTT]] that the work organisation at France Télécom "was conducive to generating suffering at work" and "health risks" for employees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-12-10 |title=France Télécom: la souffrance au travail est établie |url=https://www.nouvelobs.com/societe/social/20091210.OBS0287/france-telecom-la-souffrance-au-travail-est-etablie.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=[[L'Obs|Le Nouvelle Observateur]] |language=fr}}</ref> An investigation was conducted by the [[audit]] firm Technologia at the request of France Télécom's management. Of the 102,843 employees in the group's parent company, 80,080 responded, i.e. a response rate of 77.9%. The fact-finding report revealed a "very poor general feeling", "strained physical and mental health", and a "tense and even violent working environment" for some categories of personnel. Working conditions were deemed difficult, mainly for personnel in charge of sales and customer interventions. Given heavy media coverage, these findings were the source of major contention about working conditions.

On 20 December 2019, former CEO [[Didier Lombard]] and Orange were found guilty of moral harassment towards their employees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/french-telco-orange-found-guilty-workers-suicides-landmark-ruling-1.5404882|title=Orange Found Guilty|date=20 December 2019|website=cbc.ca/news}}</ref>

===Access to some sites limited===
In 2011, following complaints by Internet users, [[Megaupload]] accused Orange of not providing sufficient connectivity to its site, thus severely limiting throughput from France, an allegation Orange denied.<ref name="dementi Orange bridage des accès à certains sites"/>

===Accusations of false advertising in France===
In November 2009, three users lodged a complaint against Orange for false advertising concerning its "Unlimited 3G Key" service.<ref>{{cite web|date=22 December 2009|title=Orange visé par une plainte pour publicité mensongère|url=https://o.nouvelobs.com/high-tech/20091222.OBS1497/orange-vise-par-une-plainte-pour-publicite-mensongere.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818042510/https://o.nouvelobs.com/high-tech/20091222.OBS1497/orange-vise-par-une-plainte-pour-publicite-mensongere.html#modal-msg|archive-date=18 August 2020|access-date=18 August 2020|website=[[L'Obs|O]]|language=fr}}</ref> These customers criticised the operator for the misleading way in which this service is presented, since it isn't in fact unlimited. While it is true that there is no time limit, the user cannot download more than 1 gigabyte per month, thus limiting browsing. Unaware of this, the three plaintiffs browsed beyond plan limits and had to pay additional fees as a result.

===Corruption in Tunisia===
In March 2011, the information website [[OWNI]] uncovered a questionable financial deal that enabled the Orange group to acquire a 3G license.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://owni.fr/2011/03/03/ben-ali-les-compromission-dorange-en-tunisie/ |title=Ben Ali: les compromissions d'Orange en Tunisie |work=Owni.fr |access-date=29 April 2013 |archive-date=8 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908230659/http://owni.fr/2011/03/03/ben-ali-les-compromission-dorange-en-tunisie/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Anticompetitive practices in French overseas departments===
On 28 July 2011, the [[Autorité de la concurrence|Competition Authority]] fined France Télécom €27.6 million for having improperly impeded the development of new competing operators in the French overseas departments (primarily Réunion).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guillemin |first=Christophe |date=2005-12-01 |title=Orange, SFR et Bouygues Telecom condamnés à une amende record de 534 millions d'euros |url=https://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/orange-sfr-et-bouygues-telecom-condamnes-a-une-amende-record-de-534-millions-d-euros-39291618.htm |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=[[ZDNET]] |language=fr}}</ref>

France Télécom used its dominant position, resulting in particular from its former monopoly, to take unfair advantage of its competitors.

The practices identified by the Authority were: 
* excessive rate levels
* as operators of the quasi-totality of the telecommunication infrastructure [[local loop]]s, making use of the data which they have access to, France Télécom has targeted former subscribers who had switched to a competitor, in order to win them back, offering them specific deals.
* margin squeeze on broadband Internet offers
* maintaining call barring services inconsistent with the prior selection of an alternative operator

===SMS and MMS propagation of 1 January 2011 in France===
On 1 January 2011, Orange users' [[Short Message Service|SMS]] and [[Multimedia Messaging Service|MMS]] were sent and billed multiple times. The operator agreed to reimburse the excess costs to consumers, explaining that the error came from a "third party operator"<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=les SMS ou MMS envoyés la nuit de la Saint-Sylvestre |url=http://assistance.orange.fr/les-sms-ou-mms-envoyes-la-nuit-de-la-saint-sylvestre-4528.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106040030/http://assistance.orange.fr/les-sms-ou-mms-envoyes-la-nuit-de-la-saint-sylvestre-4528.php |archive-date=6 January 2011 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=Orange}}</ref> (which turned out to be [[Bouygues Telecom]]),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.01net.com/editorial/526359/bug-des-sms-du-nouvel-an-orange-met-bouygues-telecom-en-cause/ |title=Bug des SMS du Nouvel An : Orange met Bouygues Telecom en cause |publisher=01net.com |date=1 January 2012 |access-date=29 April 2013 |archive-date=20 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320012910/https://www.01net.com/actualites/bug-des-sms-du-nouvel-an-orange-met-bouygues-telecom-en-cause-526359.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> said not to have sent acknowledgements, which caused the messages to be resent. A computer problem at the Bouygues platform was blamed.<ref name="Explication probleme informatique nouvel an 2010"/> During the night of 31 December 2010 to 1 January 2011, more than 930 million text messages were exchanged in France (for the three operators combined), setting a new record compared with the peaks of the previous years.<ref name="SMS envoyés par Orange la nuit du 31 décembre 2010"/>

===Controversies in UK regarding the quality of service===
On 21 March 2007 ''[[Watchdog (TV series)|Watchdog]]'', a [[BBC]] [[television program|television series]] focusing on [[consumer]] protection, published the results of a [[broadband]] [[Survey methodology|survey]] they carried out. According to the survey Orange was the worst ISP in the UK. 68% of Orange customers that took part in the survey said they were unsatisfied with Orange's [[customer service]], it was voted as the most unreliable broadband provider, and it had the highest number of dissatisfied customers. Two thirds of Orange customers experienced problems cancelling their Orange broadband.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/internet/internet_20070321.shtml |title=BBC Watchdog Broadband Survey |access-date=21 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070327100448/http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/internet/internet_20070321.shtml |archive-date=27 March 2007 }}</ref>

In response to the problems with Orange UK broadband and 3G broadband during March 2009 and April 2009 the 3G data network has been upgraded to [[High Speed Packet Access|3.5G]] and increased signal coverage. 3G networks for all telecommunication suppliers still struggle to get the throughput that was originally advertised when these networks were announced. The UK Telecoms Regulator<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/features/msaone |title=Ofcom |access-date=10 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327061354/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/features/msaone |archive-date=27 March 2010 }}</ref> has reported on the challenges for all suppliers.

A [[consumer organization|consumer organisation]] [[internet forum|forum]] web site known as OrangeProblems.co.uk focuses on the poor level of service provided by Orange Broadband in the UK. Initially set up as WanadooProblems.co.uk, the site focuses on the infamous Orange [[local-loop unbundling|local loop unbundling]] and poor [[customer service]] but covers a wider range of Orange operations such as lost email, significantly delayed SMTP and outages, suspicions of eavesdropping, et al.

Orange Mobile was criticised during a [[Channel 4 News]] investigation for a lack of security, which potentially exposed customer records to fraud.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reuben |first=Emily |date=22 November 2006 |title=Concern over mobile security |work=[[Channel 4 News]] |url=http://channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/concern%20over%20mobile%20security/172350 |access-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015000142/http://channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/concern%2520over%2520mobile%2520security/172350 |archive-date=15 October 2007}}</ref>

In August 2007 Orange was criticised for summarily deleting email accounts tied to old Freeserve and Wanadoo 'pay as you go' dial-up accounts with no warning.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Christopher |date=30 August 2007 |title=Orange mounts sneaky Freeserve accounts purge |url=https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/30/orange_freesever_purge/ |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref>

In August 2008, after well-publicised problems with iPhone [[3G]] performances, customers compared their download speed and discovered that Orange in France was capping 3G download bandwidth. Orange admitted capping to 384&nbsp;kbit/s, well below the theoretical 7.2&nbsp;Mbit/s provided by the iPhone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Sam |date=26 August 2008 |title=Orange admits to capping 3G speeds in France |url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/08/08/26/orange_admits_to_capping_3g_speeds_in_france |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=AppleInsider |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nichols |first=Shaun |date=2008-08-26 |title=Orange admits to 3G speed caps |url=http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2224705/orange-cops-3g-caps |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830013230/http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2224705/orange-cops-3g-caps |archive-date=30 August 2008 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=vnunet.com |publication-place=San Francisco}}</ref> Orange uncapped [[3G]] and [[High Speed Packet Access|3G+]] by mid-September 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Champeau |first=Guillaume |date=2008-09-03 |title=3G+ Orange : l'opérateur débride totalement les débits |url=https://www.numerama.com/business/10554-3g-orange-l-operateur-debride-totalement-les-debits.html |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=[[Numerama]] |language=fr-FR}}</ref>

===Accusations of antisemitism and calls for boycott===
The French chairman and CEO of the Orange telecommunications company, Stéphane Richard said in Cairo regarding his company operations in Israel, "Believe me, I would cancel the contract tomorrow if I could. We want to end this and to fix this; we don't want it."<ref name="jewishpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/orange-exec-pleads-for-bds-compassion-hopes-to-cut-ties-with-israel/2015/06/03/ |title=Orange Exec Pleads for BDS Pity, Hopes to Cut Ties with Israel |date=3 June 2015 |publisher=The Jewish Press |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> Later, Orange announced its desire to discontinue use of its popular brand name by its Israeli operator [[Partner Communications Company]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Telecoms-operator-Orange-says-plans-to-end-Israel-deal-over-brand-licensing-no-mention-of-boycott-405071 |title=Orange confirms it plans to cut ties with Israeli firm, but says move not political |work=Jerusalem Post |date=4 June 2015 |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The president of the [[State of Israel]] [[Reuven Rivlin]] said in response "Just yesterday Israel faced attacks from anti-Israel and anti-Semitic bodies, who have chosen to delegitimise the state of Israel, and to launch rockets at us from the Gaza Strip. We must face these challenges together, right and left," Rivlin said.<ref name="israelnationalnews.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/196307#.VXCLZdKqpBc |title=Netanyahu: French Govt. Partially Owns Orange|date=4 June 2015 |publisher=Israelnationalnews.com |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Keinon |first=Herb |url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Netanyahu-to-France-Renounce-the-miserable-actions-of-Orange-405082 |title=Benjamin Netanyahu to France: Renounce the miserable actions of Orange |work=Jerusalem Post |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref>

Israeli culture minister [[Miri Regev]] said, "I call on Jews of France and the world to disconnect from Orange unless Stéphane Richard takes back his words. The time has come for them to understand that Jews in the world and sane voices that oppose anti-Semitism and racism also have power."<ref name="israelnationalnews.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/73662-150604-bennett-to-israelis-don-t-punish-orange-franchisee-partner-over-bds-comments |title=Netanyahu calls on French govt to publicly denounce Orange's pullout from Israel |work=I24news.tv |date=4 June 2015 |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The statement on the company's website announced in response that "The Orange Group is a telecoms operator and as such its primary concern is to defend and promote the value of its brand in markets in which it is present," the statement began. "The Group does not engage in any kind of political debate under any circumstance."<ref name="jewishpress.com"/> Later, Richard visited Israel to clarify his remarks. He met Israeli PM [[Benyamin Netanyahu]] and former president, [[Shimon Peres]]. Richard told both Netanyahu and Peres that Orange has not and will not support anti-Israel boycott efforts, and insisted that its announced decision to abrogate its relationship with Partner was purely commercial and not political.<ref>{{cite web|last=Surkes |first=Sue |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/orange-ceo-sows-confusion-on-israel-trip-aimed-to-resolve-dispute/ |title=Orange CEO sows confusion on Israel trip aimed to resolve dispute |work=The Times of Israel |access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref>

On 30 June 2015, Orange and Partner announced a change to their 10-year licensing agreement. Orange paid Partner €40&nbsp;million to add an opt out clause to the contract,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dvorin |first=Tova |date=2015-06-30 |title=Israeli Co. to Be Paid Millions After Orange Snafu |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/197485 |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=[[Israel National News]] |language=en}}</ref> with which Partner conducted a market survey which is determine the best course of action moving forward.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2015-06-30 |title=Israeli affiliate to stop using Orange name in 24 months |url=https://www.jta.org/2015/06/30/israel/israeli-affiliate-to-stop-using-orange-name-in-24-months-under-new-deal |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |language=en-US}}</ref> In the first year only Partner can opt out, with either party being able to opt out in the second year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 June 2015 |title=Orange Group and Partner Communications outline new relationship framework agreement |url=https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2015/06/30/orange-group-and-partner-communications-outline-new-relationship-framework-agreement/ |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=TeleGeography}}</ref> Regardless of which party opts to exercise the out clause, Orange will pay Partner an additional €50&nbsp;million to end the arrangement.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elis |first=Niv |date=1 July 2015 |title=Orange, Partner pave way for cutting ties following BDS controversy |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |url=https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/orange-partner-pave-way-for-cutting-ties-following-bds-controversy-407563 |access-date=27 December 2023}}</ref> Orange stated that the money paid to Partner was purely for re-branding purposes and affirmed their previous statement that their wish to leave Israel is based on desire to discontinue license agreements and maintain only subsidiaries that they control, rather than a boycott.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 June 2015 |title=Telecom giant Orange to end Israel presence within 2 years |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/telecom-giant-orange-to-end-israel-presence-within-2-years/ |access-date=27 December 2023}}</ref> Orange would make the relevant payments over the course of two years and charge it to their books as a mix of marketing, sales, customer services and related expenses.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Niva |date=30 June 2015 |title=Orange Redoes Brand Licensing Agreement With Partner Costs Up To $100 Million If It Leaves Israel |work=[[Jewish Business News]] |url=https://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/06/30/orange-rejigs-brand-licensing-agreement-with-partner-at-cost-of-up-to-e90-million-if-leaves-israel/ |access-date=27 December 2023}}</ref> As part of the agreement Orange's research and development activities within Israel would transition to the Orange name, but would be restricted from entering the telecommunications services market.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitaltveurope.net/390902/orange-strikes-new-deal-with-partner-communications/|title=Orange strikes new deal with Partner Communications}}</ref>

In September 2015, Orange reaffirmed their commitment to Israel with an investment in [[Hola (VPN)|Hola]], a video distribution network.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 September 2015 |title=French telecom firm Orange invests in Israeli start-up |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/french-telecom-firm-orange-invests-in-israeli-start-up-419093 |access-date=27 December 2023}}</ref>

In February 2016, Orange and Partner decided to terminate their agreement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/1.703843|title=Israel's Partner Rebrands, Cuts Final Ties With Orange|agency=Reuters|date=17 February 2016|work=Haaretz|access-date=2 July 2017}}</ref> As a result, Orange Israel has become part of Partner.

===Conviction for infringement and violation of free licenses===
In 2024, after twelve years of proceedings, Orange was fined €860,000 for infringement and violation of the [[GNU General Public License|GNU general public license]], and therefore of the copyright of [https://www.entrouvert.com/ Entr'ouvert], the cooperative company that authored the free identity management library LASSO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orange condamnée à 860 000 euros pour contrefaçon et violation de la licence libre GNU GPL |url=https://next.ink/brief_article/orange-condamnee-a-860-000-euros-pour-contrefacon-et-violation-de-la-licence-libre-gnu-gpl/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Next |language=fr-FR}}</ref> The [https://april.org/ April association] produced several text explanations to comment on the case.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Violation d'une licence libre : Entr'ouvert fondé à poursuivre Orange pour contrefaçon {{!}} April |url=https://www.april.org/violation-d-une-licence-libre-entr-ouvert-fonde-a-poursuivre-orange-pour-contrefacon |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=www.april.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Violation d'une licence libre : Entr'Ouvert n'a pas fait de quartier à Orange {{!}} April |url=https://www.april.org/violation-d-une-licence-libre-entr-ouvert-n-a-pas-fait-de-quartier-a-orange |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=www.april.org}}</ref>