Microsoft Announces Communications Server ''14''

  • Article

At the VoiceCon Orlando 2010 conference, Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Unified Communications Group, will announce that the next version of Microsoft’s unified communications software, code-named Communications Server “14,” will be available in the second half of 2010. During the keynote, Gurdeep will also demonstrate the new software for the first time publicly.

Microsoft Communications Server ‘14’ will be available in the second half of 2010

The keynote takes place at 11:15 am EDT and can be viewed at: https://tv.voicecon.com/ (registration required).

Below are highlights from the news in today’s keynote:

  • With Communications Server  ‘14’, Microsoft is investing to make communications simpler, lower cost and more open, and will deliver:
    - A complete communications solution, including enterprise telephony.
    - A familiar and powerful way to communicate and collaborate using Microsoft Office, SharePoint and Exchange with Communications Server 14.
    - An open platform that works with what customers already have and allows them to embed communications in any application.

 

  • Earlier this week, several Microsoft partners announced new products and services that enhance Communications Server ‘14’, including low cost IP phones as well as branch office, call accounting and E911 solutions.
  • Office Communications Server has grown by double digits every year for the last three years, and is one of the fastest growing servers at Microsoft.  Today, more than 70% of the Fortune 100 have OCS as well as 7 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies, 8 of the top 10 aerospace companies, and 9 of the top 10 banks.

Additionally, Gurdeep’s keynote will include two new predictions for the future of communications software:

  • UC will be the norm in business communications in three years and making a plain telephony call will seem outdated.  Specifically, Gurdeep predicts that over 50% of all VoIP calls will incorporate more than just voice, and your “end point” will make UC possible with more than a billion people.
  • · Further, Gurdeep predicts the rise of more connected communications, and will state that, in three years, 75% of new business applications will include natively embedded communications.

For more information, please visit the following resources:

· Post by Gurdeep Singh Pall on the Official Microsoft Blog: https://blogs.technet.com/microsoft_blog/default.aspx

· Office and Related Products Newsroom (featuring a new customer montage video): https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/2010office/default.aspx

· Communications Server “14” Images: https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/2010office/imageGallery.aspx

· Partner Press Releases: https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/2010office/materials.aspx

· AT Kearney customer case study: https://www.microsoft.com/CaseStudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?casestudyid=4000006132

· Stoneridge customer case study: https://www.microsoft.com/CaseStudies/Case_Study_Detail.aspx?casestudyid=4000004434