In what is
surely a huge wake up call to the business communications market,
Microsoft has announced a range of
unified communications products and services that it says will
deliver savings to customers.
Launched by no
less than Bill Gates himself, the new unified communications
software are described as enabling firms to take the first step
toward streamlining workplace communications and helping reduce the
cost of the average corporate voice over Internet protocol (VoIP)
system by half.
“In the next
decade, sweeping technology innovations driven by the power of
software will transform communications,”
Gates said. “[Microsoft] will enable fundamental advances in
the way people communicate and collaborate at work.”
The new unified
communications system is based on Microsoft Office Communications
Server 2007 that delivers VoIP, video, instant messaging,
conferencing and presence within Office applications people and
upcoming versions of Microsoft ERP and CRM products.
Microsoft Office
Communicator 2007 provides the client software for phone, instant
messaging and video communications that works across the PC, mobile
phone and Web browser and Microsoft Office Live Meeting enables
workers to conduct meetings, share documents, utilise video and
record discussions.
Also included is
Microsoft RoundTable, a conferencing phone with a 360-degree camera
that captures a panoramic view of meeting participants, tracks the
speaker and can record meetings and a service pack update of
Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. The industry’s leading e-mail,
voice mail, calendaring and unified messaging platform.
More than 50
partners have committed to the Microsoft communication cause
including Nortel Networks with software-based solutions and
applications to enhance Office Communications Server; Ericsson,
whose Enterprise Mobility Gateway will be built on VoIP call
management in Office Communications Server; Mitel Networks has
announced plans to develop a software-based solution that uses
Office Communications Server’s VoIP call management capabilities to
meet the needs of SMEs.
Among the announcement of software support, SAP will integrate
Office Communications Server with Duet software, which is jointly
developed with Microsoft and provides access to SAP processes and
data through Microsoft Office applications. Conferencing firm
Tandberg will build a video and web conferencing package
incorporating Microsoft unified communications software. Seven
hardware manufacturers have announced global availability of 15 new
Microsoft UC-qualified phones and devices such as handsets,
wireless phones, webcams and laptops.
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