Microsoft and Canadian telecoms firm Nortel have
announced a four-year strategic alliance to develop unified
communications.
The two companies are aiming to break down the barriers between
e-mail, instant messaging, telephony and other communications
technologies in a move they believe could generate $1bn in new
revenue.
The alliance is targeting the replacement of traditional
business phone systems with software, using a Microsoft unified
communications platform and Nortel products to provide advanced
telephony.
Nortel will become Microsoft’s strategic partner for advanced
unified communications solutions and systems integration. The
company's solutions will include enterprise contact centre
applications, mission-critical telephony functions, advanced
mobility capabilities and data networking infrastructure.
The two companies will create joint product development teams,
cross-license their intellectual property and deploy each other’s
technologies in their enterprise networks.
They will also form the Innovative Communications Alliance as a
market vehicle.
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said the team-up was
sparked by the communications industry reaching “an inflection
point”.
He added, “We will have deep collaboration in product
development with Nortel, allowing us to rapidly deliver
high-quality, highly reliable solutions that will support
mission-critical communications.”
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