Monday, March 10, 2008

Microsoft/Nortel Partnership Delivers Four Unified Communications (UC) Solutions

Building on their Innovative Communications Alliance, which was first announced in July 2006, Microsoft and Nortel released four new joint unified communications (UC) solutions, including the Converged Office unified communications suite, Multimedia Conferencing, and solutions for branch offices and hosted service providers.


The companies said customer adoption of their joint solution continues to accelerate with more than 600 wins for unified communications products since the formation of the alliance.


The new solutions include:

  • Nortel Converged Office, which integrates the voice functionality of Nortel's Communication Server (CS) 1000 IP-PBX or CS 2100 IP-PBX with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. CS 1000 is the first and only IP-PBX currently qualified by Microsoft's Unified Communications Open Interoperability Program.


  • UC Integrated Branch, which extends unified communications to branch office and remote sites. It combines Office Communications Server 2007 mediation server capabilities into the Nortel Secure Router 4134, while integrating WAN routing, Ethernet switching, security and high quality VoIP capabilities into a single platform. SR 4134 has been qualified by Microsoft's Unified Communications Open Interoperability Program, providing customers a seamless experience with setup, support, and use of the joint solution.


  • The Nortel and Microsoft Carrier Hosted Unified Communications Solution, which enables service providers to offer hosted unified communications solutions to SMBs and enterprises using Nortel's Communication Server 2000 softswitch with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging. The solution allows providers to equip workers with instant messaging, VoIP, click-to-call, video conferencing and other multimedia services through Microsoft Office Communicator 2007.


  • Nortel Multimedia Conferencing 5.0 for Office Communications Server 2007, which provides a reservationless audio conferencing solution that enhances Office Communications Server 2007 conferencing with dial in audio bridge capabilities, enabling external non Communications Server 2007 users to dial into a conference.
http://www.nortel.comhttp://www.microsoft.com