In a deal that the parties are claiming as
“revolutionary” and “groundbreaking”, IT services provider ATT and
Microsoft have entered into a strategic alliance for the
development, deployment and delivery of next-generation Internet
Protocol (IP)-based communications services.
The alliance will leverage AT&T global IP network, accessed
from 149 countries, and the Microsoft Connected Services Framework,
an integrated software solution that enables the delivery of
converged communications services across multiple networks and
end-user devices. Using the, AT&T says that it will use the
Connected Services Framework to create dynamically new
network-based IP services and applications for deployment when and
where they are needed.
In addition, the two companies have committed to a five-year
plan to develop network-enabled right-time communications services
that will focus on messaging, collaboration, media and business
applications. These services will expand on AT&T’s existing IP
services portfolio, including the company’s recently announced
Dynamic Network Applications (DNA) portfolio, and Microsoft’s set
of hosted collaboration, communications and business applications,
and will drive the development of other service bundles.
One of the first goals of the five-year road map will be for
Microsoft to enable AT&T’s voice over Internet protocol (VoIP)
solutions for web services. This will enable it to be delivered
through the Microsoft Connected Services Framework to enterprise
customers along with other communications services. This would give
AT&T DNA end users click-to-dial capabilities within any
Microsoft Office application and the two firms claim that through
these initiatives, enterprises will gain unprecedented access to
and control and management of their IP applications.
Says Dave Dorman, chairman and CEO of AT&T:” These services
will enable enterprises to implement integrated collaboration,
messaging, VoIP and conferencing services without the capital
investment that locks them into solutions that are not
future-proofed. It moves to a new industry level AT&T’s intent
to deliver to businesses worldwide the promised vision of converged
IP-driven services via the world’s leading global network.”