NXTcomm: Microsoft, Partners Add Unified Communications to Hosted Messaging Platform

Microsoft Corp. has upgraded its Hosted Messaging and Collaboration (HMC) platform by integrating capabilities from Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 including presence functionality. This enables service providers to deliver advanced communications capabilities to their business customers.

In addition, Microsoft partners, including network equipment providers, independent software vendors and systems integrators, have built solutions extending the platform to deliver advanced voice capabilities and hosting automation tools.

HMC Version 4.5 supports Microsoft OCS 2007 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, facilitating real-time communications and unified messaging. Besides the integration of e-mail, fax and telephony into the PC desktop, mobile devices and Web access, HMC 4.5 enables new VoIP capabilities, including PC-to-PC calling and Web conferencing.

HMC 4.5 also takes advantage of the recently launched Windows Server 2008 operating system with Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7) to provide new virtualization capabilities and security enhancements.

“Service providers today need a robust platform that they can reliably scale to deliver new services, support customers and manage costs,” said Steve Zimba, managing director of the Global Telecom Business at Microsoft. “Hosted Messaging and Collaboration Version 4.5 addresses these requirements and allows service providers to differentiate their offerings by creating service bundles, offering private-label solutions for the broader IT channel, and creating targeted, customized solutions.”

Partners Extend Opportunities with HMC 4.5

A number of partners are working to build more applications on the HMC 4.5 platform, including Nortel, BroadSoft Inc. and Sylantro Systems Corp.

Nortel has combined HMC 4.5 with its Communications Server 2000 Internet Protocol multimedia softswitch to deliver a new unified communications solution offering real-time communications, such as PC-to-PSTN calling, with Microsoft’s collaboration services, such as click-to-call, click-to-conference, missed-call e-mail messages, mobility and telephony presence.

BroadSoft and Sylantro plan to launch similar offerings in late 2008.

Microsoft partners ExtendASP, Ensim Corp. and Parallels also have extended HMC 4.5 to offer management software designed simplify administration tasks with delegated administration, automated provisioning, and device and client configuration.

Consulting Companies Help Service Provider HMC Deployments

Microsoft further has teamed with consulting companies, such as implement.com Corp. and Planet Technologies, to develop consulting practices to support HMC 4.5. These practices will help service providers with installation and upgrades, and to provide training and documentation services to ensure best practices are followed.

“As a consulting company that specializes in Microsoft technologies, implement.com is ready to work with service providers to roll out HMC 4.5 and help customize it according to their specific functionality requirements,” said Steve Schwartz, CEO of implement.com.

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