Orange to launch next-generation Livebox Play next week

Orange is to launch its new combined set-top box and gateway, the Livebox play, on February 7.

According to Orange, it has received about 100,000 pre-orders for the box in just over two weeks on the liveboxplay.orange.fr website.

The Livebox Play is available form €39.90 a month as part of a new mulit-play package, with a €3 monthly rental charge for the box.

The box facilitates fibre broadband at speeds of up to 200Mbps and iupload speeds of up to 50Mpbs. Dual 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity enables users to watch HD films on multiple streams.

The box is based on an Intel Groveland processor. Users will be able to browse the internet and access multiple application stores, and interact on social networks direct form their TVs. The remote control includes gyroscopic control to change channels and adjust the volume with a simple stroke, a keyboard for surfing the internet and social networks and a joystick to play games directly on the TV. The remote also uses radio frequency so users no longer need to point it at the set-top box. A new cloud-based gaming package on TV delivers over 120 games as part of the Orange TV service to Livebox Play subscribers. The box comes with nine pre-installed games including new releases Asphalt 6 Adrenaline and Tintin – The Secret of the Unicorn.

The box also includes an 80GB hard drive with a further 240 GB available on request. An add-on 3D Blu-ray player from Panasonic will be avialble from April for €99.

“The new Livebox Play is packed full of cutting-edge technologies. In combination with the Livebox Play packages, customers will be able to use all their screens to enjoy a vast range of uses, including browsing the internet, playing games and social networking,” said Delphine Ernotte Cunci, executive director of Orange France.