June 27, 2006

Telephone Systems Powered by Microsoft

When you think of buying a telephone system, I'm sure you think of the usual suspects - Cisco, Avaya, 3COM, Vonage, M5 Networks, Fonality and many other vendors who provide telephone services for businesses. However, now Microsoft is going to get DIRECTLY into the game.

The NY Times writes Its new approach centers on systems for the workplace that blend desktop computers with office and mobile phones, a combination known as "unified communications." But Microsoft, already late to the field, will not have its offerings commercially available before the second quarter of next year.

"This is pretty complicated stuff to get out," said Bernard Elliot, a research vice president at Gartner Inc., a market research firm in Stamford, Conn.

The power that Microsoft brings to this mix, like they do with Office is INTEGRATION.

NYT continues In one Microsoft demonstration, a user late for a meeting that is scheduled in an Outlook calendar can phone the Exchange server and tell the system to notify other participants that he or she is running 10 to 15 minutes late. The system, using voice recognition to interpret the message, automatically generates an e-mail notification.

Being able to have your telephone system seamlessly connected to the office applications you use now is a VERY compelling case.

Having said that companies like M5 Networks and Infinity Info Sys (VOIP and CRM respectively) can give you a system that you'll love as well. The solution could use Microsoft or could use something else. The important thing is, does it serve your needs.

0 comments