|
|
May 22, 2007
Microsoft and Industry Leaders to Bridge Communications Systems
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 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 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 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 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.”
— Kazuo Tsuzuki
Associate Senior Vice President
NEC Corp.
“Quintum 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
All news and press releases
Top
More Carbon per Kilowatt
Shut Up! I'm Driving
Boeing Business Jets Debuts Interior Concepts for Its Largest Luxury Jet
Boeing Business Jets Wins Additional 787 VIP Order
Fokker Services becomes an Airbus-Approved outfitter
Airbus Corporate Jet Centre adds to cabin-outfitting choice
Airbus ACJ Family leads in top-of-the-line corporate jet sales
Canon Europe’s Consumer Imaging Business Improves Forecasting and Demand Planning with Oracle® Applications
Oracle® Utilities Customer Care and Billing Placed in Top Quadrant in Energy Insights Short List of Leading Utility Customer Information Systems
Oracle Simplifies User Management in Oracle Database 10g(R)
|
|
|
