Orange and insurance group Groupama have joined forces to set up Protectline, a simplified joint stock company operating in the French home surveillance market. Orange owns 51 percent of Protectline's capital while Groupama holds the remaining 49 percent.
The purpose of the new venture is to provide the two partners with a joint platform to manage subscription-based video surveillance services, which Orange will offer under its own brand later this year for its fixed and mobile customers in France. Expected in the spring, the launch of a new offering for residential subscribers was first unveiled during the Orange Hello Show on 12 December. Called 'Protected Home', the package will include the option to trigger a response from security agencies, if required.
Groupama, which owns 35 percent of Orange Bank, will bring its existing expertise to the venture via one of its subsidiaries, overseeing the entire value chain to ensure service delivery and providing several essential elements to Protectline's operations (IT system, logistics centre and network of installers).
The two partners have also announced the top-management team of Protectline, which will be headed by Jean-Daniel Guedj as CEO, working jointly with executive chairman Benjamin Pourquie. Christian Bombrun has been named as chairman of the board of directors.
