Nortel and Microsoft have broadened their partnership to offer carriers hosted unified communications services to target small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
The two companies announced the expansion of their Innovative Communications Alliance (ICA) at Nortel’s Inform 2007 carrier user group conference in Orlando, US, last week.
The pair formed the ICA last year to develop technology for enterprises to combine different forms of communication such as voice calls, instant messaging, e-mail and video conferencing.
Under the agreement, Nortel will integrate its Communication Server 2000 (CS 2000) softswitch with the Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration, which incorporates hosted versions of Microsoft Exchange, Office Live Communications Server and Windows SharePoint Services.
Nortel will also provide convergence integration services from the Nortel Global Services portfolio to accelerate unified communications deployment.
The companies said general availability of the services was scheduled for 2008.
“Microsoft and Nortel, working with service providers around the globe, are making it easier than ever for businesses of all sizes to get the rich communications services they want, wherever they want, whenever they want them,” said Michael O’Hara, general manager of Microsoft’s communications sector.
Follow us on
