Microsoft has made available for download the next evolution of Live Communications Server. The Office Communications Server 2007 is a public beta designed to streamline communications via the applications that are most involved in their workflow. In this regard, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Public Beta is focused on Outlook, but also on other applications in the Office System. Microsoft representatives revealed in advance the fact that the release was planned for the end of this month and they delivered on that promise.

Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 is designed as a Session Initiation Protocol standards-based real-time communication platform and was announced since mid 2006 as an integer part of the company's unified communications strategy. Office Communications Server 2007 is in Microsoft's vision the most important step forward in communication technology since Outlook 1997. VoIP calls; audio, video and web conferencing; and instant messaging will all be associated with the existing infrastructure of applications, services and devices.

Through the public beta, you will be able to download Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, Microsoft Office Communicator 2007, and Speech Server (2007).

"Web conferencing capability in Office Communications Server 2007 provides Web conferencing to users via an on-premise solution residing inside the corporate firewall. Users can connect to Office Communications Server 2007 or to Office Live Meeting using the same client. Office Live Meeting is a hosted Web conferencing service which will continue to be offered as a hosted service in addition to the on-premise Office Communications Server 2007 product", Microsoft informed.

As of now, the Redmond Company failed to deliver any pricing details for its messaging and conferencing server. Pricing information will only be announced closer to the product's official release later in the summer of 2007.

Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 Public Beta was tested by Softpedia as being 100% Clean and is available for download here.