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Microsoft and Industry Leaders to Bridge Communications Systems
[May 22, 2007]

Microsoft and Industry Leaders to Bridge Communications Systems


TMCnet News
 
Industrywide support for Microsoft unified communications software brings flexibility and cost savings to customers.
 
LAS VEGAS — May 22, 2007 — Today at Interop Las Vegas 2007, Microsoft Corp. and 12 industry leaders announced plans to make it easier for businesses to protect and extend their communications investments. These industry leaders are extending their support for unified communications software from Microsoft by implementing the company’s interoperability specification for Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007. This broad interoperability will help businesses deploy software-based unified communications and cost-effectively adapt to voice and data network convergence.


 
In the two months since Microsoft published the interoperability specification, global telephony and networking companies such as Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya (News - Alert) Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Ericsson, Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc., Mitel Networks Corp., NEC Corp., Nortel Networks and Siemens Enterprise Communications, and gateway providers AudioCodes Ltd., Dialogic (News - Alert) Corp. and Quintum Technologies Inc. have stated their support for the interoperability specification for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Together these vendors provide interoperability with approximately 90 percent of communication systems.
 
“As the traditional business telecommunications model evolves, businesses are seeking guidance for the best way to leverage their existing assets as they deploy unified communications,” said Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president, Unified Communications Group at Microsoft. “This broad industry support will give business the assurance that Microsoft’s unified communications software will work with the applications and networks they have today.”
 
Microsoft has published this specification to enable businesses to deploy Office Communications Server 2007 for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), presence, instant messaging and conferencing while maintaining compatibility with existing and planned telephony systems. This will allow businesses to reap the benefits of Microsoft’s unified communications software for streamlined communications while extending the life of their existing investments.
 
“By deploying Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 alongside our existing PBX systems, we’ve found a powerful and sensible strategy for moving to an IP-based communication solution,” said Sue Workman, associate vice president for support at Indiana University. “With this new solution, we’re able to ‘speak’ to newly admitted students without worrying about long-distance costs. Additionally, Office Communications Server enhances the Office suite of products with feature-rich productivity tools like presence management, mobility and integration. These tools will help us streamline administrative processes and communication between faculty, staff, students and external partners.”
 
Over the past eight weeks, more than 50,000 people have downloaded the beta version of Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007.
 
“Nortel’s extensive testing and ongoing collaboration with Microsoft enables our customers to confidently deploy unified communications solutions,” said Steve Slattery, president of Enterprise Networks at Nortel. “Through our Innovative Communications Alliance (News - Alert) with Microsoft, Nortel is positioned to offer a complete and powerful software-centric integration of PBX to Office Communications Server 2007. Our progress to date indicates we will be first to market with an interoperable solution for OCS that simplifies deployment for our customers.”
 
Unified communications software from Microsoft consists of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007, the Microsoft standards-based solution for VoIP, presence, instant messaging and conferencing; and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, the industry’s leading platform for e-mail, calendaring and unified messaging.
 
For a preview of Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007, the public beta is available for download at http://www.microsoft.com/uc.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.
 
Microsoft Unified Communications Group Interop Las Vegas 2007 Partner Announcement
 
“At Alcatel-Lucent, we deliver best-of-breed enterprise communication systems that provide a proven, secure and reliable experience for enterprise customers. The Alcatel-Lucent enterprise communications portfolio of OmniPCX Enterprise, OmniPCX Office and OmniTouch My Teamwork Conferencing and Collaboration is based on open standards and offers a clear, interworking road map that combines Microsoft applications and Alcatel-Lucent communications. The combined solution utilizes the Microsoft value on desktops and the Alcatel-Lucent real-time voice expertise.”
— Tom Burns
President, Enterprise Solutions Activities
Alcatel-Lucent
 
“AudioCodes and Microsoft are committed to delivering a unified communications solution that natively operates with existing PBX systems and can also directly connect to the PSTN. This enables our customers to protect and extend existing telephony investments while providing them a foundation for advancing to the next level of voice communications. AudioCodes media gateways allow the enterprise customer to fully utilize the power of both Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 simultaneously, using the same flexible, field-proven, high-quality product. We’re pleased to continue our work with Microsoft to help customers benefit from the advantages that enhanced VoIP can provide.”
— Lior Aldema
Vice President of Marketing
AudioCodes Ltd.
 
“Avaya is committed to providing customers with the Microsoft user experience, and we will innovate in the delivery of reliable, scalable, easy-to-integrate communications. SIP interoperability is key to providing that to customers. Our continued collaboration with Microsoft will allow companies to maximize current investments in both communication and desktop applications and provide more efficient and easy-to-use communication tools.”
— Eileen Rudden
Vice President and General Manager,
Unified Communications
Avaya Inc.
 
“Cisco’s open, IP approach makes it possible for a broad variety of technology suppliers to integrate and interoperate, bringing customers a richer portfolio of product options. By using Cisco Unified Communications with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, customers can rapidly deploy new productivity solutions to transform how people connect, communicate and collaborate.”
— Barry O’Sullivan
Vice President and General Manager,
Cisco IP Communications Business Unit
Cisco Systems Inc.
 
“At Dialogic, we’re pleased to work with Microsoft and take the next step toward delivering customers a voice solution that runs seamlessly with their existing telephony infrastructure. Dialogic Media Gateways are easy to use and offer extensive PBX interoperability. By integrating our gateway solutions with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, enterprise customers can embrace new productivity applications that will provide a more efficient and cost-effective communications environment. We embrace the software-based approach to VoIP and look forward to continuing our relationship with Microsoft in delivering unified communications to companies worldwide.”
— Jim Machi
Vice President of Marketing
Dialogic Corp.
 
“Based on Microsoft’s leadership in unified communications and Ericsson’s leadership in mobility, we look forward to a continued collaboration toward the enterprise market. By helping to ensure interoperability between Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and the Ericsson One Phone solution, the business user’s mobile phone and Microsoft’s desktop applications will be integrated into one solution. This maximizes enterprises’ current investments in communication and office applications.”
— Urban Gillström
Head, Ericsson Enterprise
Ericsson
 
“Genesys Telecommunications Labs welcomes Microsoft’s continued commitment to standards-based IP communications, as found in Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Genesys is committed to enhanced, Microsoft-certified and -compatible solutions for our large enterprise contact center customers, who require integrated support for a mixture of IP, hybrid IP and TDM telephony switches for their contact centers and information workers. Our customers have already derived significant benefits from our previous collaboration with Microsoft, and we look forward to continued cooperation in our joint product development efforts.”
— Paul Lang
Vice President of Product Management
Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc.
 
“Mitel (News - Alert) is pleased to expand its extensive unified communications product integration and successful global customer engagement activities with Microsoft. The recent deployment of our direct Mitel 3300 IP Communications Platform SIP connection with Microsoft Exchange 2007 to Microsoft Technology Centers (MTCs) worldwide is further evidence of Mitel’s firm commitment to ensuring the seamless integration of our solutions portfolio with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007.”
— Don Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Mitel Networks Corp.
 
“At NEC, we’re pleased to work with Microsoft and take the next step toward delivering customers a voice solution that runs seamlessly with their existing telephony infrastructure. By integrating our IP telephony server, UNIVERGE SV7000, with Office Communications Server 2007, our customers can embrace new productivity applications that will provide a more efficient and cost-effective communications environment. We embrace the software-based approach to VoIP and look forward to continuing our relationship with Microsoft in delivering unified communications to companies worldwide.”
Associate Senior Vice President
NEC Corp.
 
“Quintum (News - Alert) is pleased to be working with Microsoft to deliver customers a voice solution that runs seamlessly with their existing telephony infrastructure and provide connectivity to the telephone network. By integrating our Tenor VoIP switches and gateways with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, our customers can embrace new productivity applications that will help provide a more efficient and cost-effective communications environment. Tenor VoIP MultiPath solutions allow customers to maximize the investment in their existing voice network while migrating to a unified communications network.”
— Charles Rutledge
Vice President of Marketing
Quintum Technologies Inc.
 
“At Siemens, we’re pleased to further our long-standing collaboration with Microsoft in providing customers flexibility and choice with their unified communications solutions, and as a pioneer in open, software-based enterprise communications, we fully endorse this approach. By integrating the Siemens HiPath enterprise-class telephony softswitches with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, our customers can now experience a more efficient and cost-effective communications environment that optimizes, enhances and transforms their current infrastructure. Through the Siemens LifeWorks vision and standards-based portfolio of Open Communications solutions, we continue to drive next-generation strategies and solutions with Microsoft.”
— Reinhold Hoffmann
Vice President,
HiPath 8000 Product Management
Siemens Enterprise Communications 
 
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