In play is Altice’s deal with NBCUniversal, which encompasses the next Jason Bourne installment, “The Mummy,” “The Fate of the Furious,” “Fifty Shades Darker,” and Jessica Biel anthology series “The Sinner.” Altice Studio also has an output deal with Discovery and first-run rights to series such as “Taken” and “Riviera,” as well as movies from the libraries of Gaumont, Pathé, Mars, EuropaCorp, Wild Side, SND, MK2 and Le Pacte.

“We’re not talking about a merger with Altice Studio, as has been reported,” a source close to Orange said. “The talks are about acquisitions of certain rights which would allow OSC to enrich its content offer, especially with premium films.” OCS already has output deals with HBO and Sony Pictures Television but would benefit from enlarging its pipeline of high-profile films, the source said.

Altice Studio bowed last August as part of the Netherlands-based telecom group’s ambition to pursue an aggressive content strategy but started pulling back in November when the company unveiled its third-quarter results, which showed that its total debt had reached €49.6 billion ($58.4 billion).

If the talks between Altice Studio and OCS result in an agreement, it’s unclear what would remain of Altice Studio. A deal would also sharpen OCS’ competitive edge in France, where the leading pay-TV player, Canal Plus, has just lost broadcast rights to French Premier League soccer matches starting in 2020 and expects to lure subscribers with more series and films.

Orange Content will combine a large proportion of the current Content Division (Orange Studio, OCS and (Orange Prestations TV). It will also cover the content lifecycle from rights acquisition through to the development of new services.

€100 million will be invested in the division that will serve the 100% Cinema and Series channel suite.

At the end of 2013, OCS had committed to invest €179 million over five years to the benefit of French and European cinema. 

“Orange Content aims to guarantee the richness of our offer in France and abroad and give more visibility and consistency to our offers in the field of content,” said Orange chief executive Stéphane Richard.

The new entity will report to Richard, who confirmed Orange’s commitment to the sector in March this year. It will be headed by David Kessler, Director, and Serge Laroye, Deputy Director, and launch on September 1.

Separately, Orange and Canal+ have strengthened their ongoing relationship with the launch of Canal+ Essential for Orange fibre customers.

The new package will allow subscribers to opt for a Canal+ package without a long-term commitment.

It comes as Orange renews its contract with HBO, which was due to expire in late 2018. Over time HBO shows including Big Little Lies, the final season of Girls, the last two seasons of Game of Thrones, the new seasons of Westworld, will be exclusive to the French premium channel.

Commenting on the announcement Paolo Pescatore, Vice President of Multiplay and Media, CCS Insight said: “This is a significant deal for both parties and once again underlines the importance of content. It will also be a major blow to rivals especially Canal+ who is struggling to maintain its position in the market.

“However, SFR, through its parent Altice, has been forging numerous partnerships with content providers and poses a considerable threat to Orange. With this in mind, securing exclusivity of key TV shows will be paramount in driving and maintaining subscribers. Content represents the next battleground as telcos prepare to battle to differentiate their offerings and lure subscribers to fibre broadband bundles.”

OCS has made a number of innovations involving US content. In 2012, OCS innovated by offering the US+24 service, making it possible to watch series just 24 hours after broadcast in the United States.

Then since April 2015, OCS have subscribers the possibility of watching seasons 5 and 6 of Game of Thrones at the same time as in the US – Day&Date – a first in France. 

The platform is currently available with its distribution partners Canalsat, Bouygues Telecom, Free, SFR, Fransat, as well as on and Playstation. Customers are offered two subscription options, both available without minimum contract.

The first option, priced EUR9.99 per month, is available only on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, with a discounted introductory price of EUR7.99 per month for the first six months.

The second option, priced EUR11.99 per month, is available on Google Cast to view on a regular TV set and will soon have support for Xbox One, Android TV, Apple TV and Airplay.

OCS, which counts 2.5 million subscribers, offers four thematic channels and the OCS Go replay service.

Les Echos reports that the telco is already testing such a product in Romania, although it would work differently to Chromecast.

Specifically, it would be a stick that would offer Orange Cinéma Séries (OCS), Orange’s movie channels, along with the company’s VOD service.

Furthermore, it would include 50 free TV channels, among them DTT services, Dailymotion and Google’s YouTube. Canal+ and BeIn Sports pay-TV channels would also be offered, though not initially.

Although this presupposes agreements with rights holders, it is something that will take time.

Orange is expected to initially make its stick available to its ‘Sosh’ mobile customers and those receiving its ‘Open’ offer, consisting of TV, internet and fixed and mobile telephony.

It will aim to secure tens of thousands of thousands of users in the first year it is made available.

As previously reported in Broadband TV News, Google has already sold 10 million Chromecasts worldwide.

As of October 10, OCS, the 100% film and series service will change, bringing its subscribers the brand new channel, OCS City, “génération HBO”. The channel will broadcast HBO’s series as part of its exclusive output deal with HBO. On Monday evenings, OCS City will also broadcast HBO originals within 24 hours after the first US broadcast, in VO (original version) with French subtitles.

Orange will also be launching OCS Go, the TV Everywehere on-demand service which will offer HBO content inclsduing The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under and Bored to Death, as well as other HBO comtent.

In the rebranding process, the OCS Max and OCS Happy channels are merging and OCS Novo will be discontinued with some of its programming finding a new home on OCS City “génération HBO” channel.

The OCS offer will now consist of OCS Max: the main event channel for all the family; OCS City “génération HBO”; OCS Choc: the full adrenaline channel and OCS Géants: the classic film channel as well as OCS Go.

HBO CEO, Richard Plepler said in a statement, “We have worked closely with OCS for many years now and are thrilled by this significant step in the creation of the official French “home of HBO” channel. OCS City “génération HBO” is where our programming will first be seen in France and it is a privilege to have our brand play such a pivotal role in this new venture.”

OCS Managing Director, Guillaume Jouhet, added, “When we created the first 100% film and series service, there was never any doubt that there would be a place for HBO productions in the OCS schedule. Today, we are proud to announce this partnership between our two brands, with the aim of creating the best channel for fans of TV series”.

The five channels will be called Orange Cinemax (broadcasting major blockbusters in the HD format), Orange Cinéhappy (family movies), Orange Cinéchoc (action movies),” Orange Cinénovo (independent and art house films) and Orange Cinegeants (classic movies).

Exclusive contracts have been signed with Warner, HBO, MGM, and French producer Fidelity. Non-exclusive contracts are in place with Gaumont, SND, Bac and Wild Side.

As an additional service, all films will be available on demand for 30 days after the first broadcast. From 2009 Orange will also offer a re-start feature, to allow viewers to watch a programme that has already started from the beginning. The service is available on TV, PC and at an additional costs of €6 per month als on Orange Mobile.