15 Oct 2008

Microsoft announces unified communications partnership

Microsoft has unveiled a unified communications service for business after teaming up with IP provider BroadSoft, it has emerged.

BroadSoft will provide unified communications services for businesses using Microsoft's hosted messaging and collaboration solution version 4.5.

By unifying communication options such as email, phone and video, the technology is designed to help firms cut their infrastructure costs, improve productivity and enhance their communications technology, Microsoft said.

Communication options will also be integrated with business process software services such as customer relationship management, accounting and enterprise resource planning.

“With a hosted solution, service providers have the opportunity to offer small and medium-sized businesses powerful productivity tools often only available to larger corporations," said Alex Danyluk, industry director of the global telecom business for the communications sector at Microsoft.

Some 69 per cent of small firms believe environmentally-friendly technology practices, such as VoIP, are important for their businesses, according to recent research by Microsoft.