Via a partnership with BroadSoft, Microsoft is fueling Cloud computing initiatives, while at the same time establishing a new foothold for its Software + Services business strategy. The two companies have put together a unified communications offering that involves a marriage between BroadSoft’s BroadWorks business telephony platform and the Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration (HMC) 4.5. With this move, the Redmond company is essentially ensuring that smaller companies can leverage similar VoIP benefits as large corporations.

 

“Today’s announcement with BroadSoft is another step in Microsoft’s software plus services strategy to provide customers with the power of choice for their cloud computing initiatives,” said Alex Danyluk, industry director, global telecom business for the Communications Sector at Microsoft. “With a hosted solution, service providers have the opportunity to offer small and medium-sized businesses powerful productivity tools often only available to larger corporations.”

 

BroadSoft is offering business customers a hosted unified communications service powered by Microsoft's unified communications technology. Because of the S+S model, companies are able to adopt unified communications without the downsides associated with maintaining an infrastructure. From email to phone, video and even instant messaging communications, the options available through the new joint offering from Microsoft and BroadSoft can also integrate seamlessly with the business software already available in a company's IT infrastructure.

 

“Our combined hosted unified communications solution is moving the market to a new era where voice, data and video are seamlessly integrated, which allows service providers to bring to market next-generation communication services to their customers,” added Michael Tessler, CEO and president of BroadSoft. “This solution also delivers productivity benefits for small and medium-sized businesses and large businesses by integrating telephony and desktop applications without the carrying costs of premise equipment and support.”