These include the expanded use of IP-based audio and video communications. Questioning instant messaging pundits, you’ll find they all agree on one thing: the burgeoning IM market is destined to make a big impression in the enterprise.
Cable & Wireless has provided a unified messaging system to the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) whereby voice messages can be read as emails as well as being listened to as audio files on the computer.
Microsoft has been pushing the idea of unified communications - enabling people to integrate all their business communications applications: telephony, instant messaging, email and others - into a single platform.
Microsoft, which has high hopes that the convergence of voice and data networks will allow it to get into the unified communications market, is ready with its first test software for running business phone systems.
In the fourth quarter, the companies will integrate Nortel's Multimedia Conferencing product with Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 to deliver a single client experience for voice, instant messaging, presence, and audio and videoconferencing.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and Business Division president Jeff Raikes have formally launched several products that are key to the company's strategy of offering "unified communications" for businesses - that is, software for bringing together...