Fans of Verizon and Microsoft (News - Alert) Lync alike are in for a treat, as Verizon’s new managed unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) solution features Microsoft Lync. With it, businesses can adopt advanced communications and collaboration with ease, putting the service and infrastructure management in Verizon’s (News - Alert) qualified hands.

The new offering is available now in the U.S. and several European countries, including the U.K., Ireland and France. With it, users can adopt enterprise-class mobility, IM, audio and video conferencing and more. It can also be combined with Verizon SIP trunking with managed session border controllers, creating a complete unified communication and collaboration infrastructure.

Microsoft Lync has been an in-demand and popular tool for UC&C, so Verizon’s managed offering is likely to prove successful, offering it to those who normally would be unable to afford it. This could even make for more effective UC&C adoption among many enterprises, as implementation of new services has often been a problem, which managed services addresses.

"Demand for truly integrated, enterprise-ready communications platforms for information sharing and collaboration is exploding on a global basis,” said Martin Burvill, senior vice president of global operations for Verizon, in a statement. “The introduction of Managed UC&C for Microsoft Lync is an important component of our overall strategy to advance the way businesses operate."

Verizon’s customers are sure to appreciate all the tools and services offered by Lync. If that’s not enough, the solution also includes Acme Packet’s (News - Alert) SBC, which has recently been certified with Verizon SIP Trunking and Microsoft Lync Server 2010. In short, customers can now enjoy all that Lync has to offer, while leaving the management to Verizon.