Nortel unifies communications with Microsoft

Network vendor Nortel has unveiled four new unified communications systems, jointly developed with Microsoft, which it claimed will make the transition to next-generation communication systems easier for enterprises.

Nortel unveiled its Converged Office unified communications suite, Multimedia Conferencing, and systems for branch offices and hosted service providers.

Companies can now “choose to deploy unified communications via a customer premise solution, managed service solution, or hybrid of the two, helping accelerate the pace of unified communications adoption," said Nortel’s general manager for ICA, Ruchi Prasad.

Nortel's converged Office integrates business-class telephony functionality from its Communication Server 1000 IP PBX or 2100 IP PBX with Microsoft's desktop collaboration system, Office Communication Server 2007. The Nortel CS 1000 IP PBX is currently the only IP PBX currently qualified by Microsoft’s unified communications open interoperability programme

The Nortel Multimedia Conferencing 5.0 for Office Communications Server 2007 gives an audio conferencing system which allows external non-Communications Server 2007 users to dial into a conference.

Meanwhile its UC Integrated Branch gives branch offices unified communications capabilities and combines the Office Communications Server 2007 mediation server capabilities with Nortel’s Secure Router 4134. This combination gives WAN routing, switching, security and VoIP.

With the Nortel/Microsoft Hosted Unified Communications system, service providers can offer SMBs and enterprises instant messaging, VoIP, click-to-call, and video conferencing, through the combination of Nortel’s Communication Server 2000 softswitch, Office Communications Server 2007 and Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging.

See also:

Microsoft adds unified comms to its stack

Office Communications Server 2007 supports audio, video and group instant messaging  18 Oct 2007

Nortel unwires business networks

Comms giant unveils "Unwired Enterprise" strategy  06 Jul 2007

Microsoft needs us, say IP PBX vendors

Vendors say Microsoft does not have the experience or technology to replace the IP private branch exchange  24 May 2007

Microsoft unified comms goes beta

Betas of Office Communications Server (OCS) 2007 and Office Communicator 2007 due this month  08 Mar 2007

Unified comms competition increases

Cisco and Nortel both release updates to their core unified communications architectures  07 Mar 2007

Nortel/Microsoft announce unified comms appliance

Deal will see Voip and PBX functionality integrated  19 Jan 2007

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