Microsoft Online Services Open for Business Worldwide

The Microsoft Online Services are opened for business worldwide, the Redmond company announced at CeBIT 2009. Microsoft emphasized the strong need to help businesses of all sizes tap resources that will help them better manage and cut costs. In this context, the software giant has opened up its enterprise-class communications and collaboration software services globally. As a direct consequence, business customers in no less than 19 countries will be able to take advantage of the Business Productivity Online Suite. CeBIT 2009 also acted as the stage for the software giant to announce the availability of the Microsoft Office Communications Online, (with instant messaging and presence capabilities), and the Business Productivity Online Deskless Worker Suite, (a low priced e-mail, calendaring and collaboration service).

With the worldwide availability of the Microsoft Online Services the company promised what it referred to as a predictable and flexible pricing model. Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online and Office Live Meeting will be available both as standalone services and as a suite. Still, subscribing to the entire suite is synonymous with a 38% discount compared to paying for the services individually, as it will cost just 12.78 Euros or 10.04 pounds per month per user.

“These services open up new possibilities for businesses to control costs while continuing to enhance the productivity of their employees,” explained Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft Business Division. “Customers can save between 10 percent and 50 percent in IT-related expenditures as a result of deploying Microsoft Online Services.”

According to the Redmond company the entire Business Productivity Online Suite, will be available for test drives and purchasing come April 2009. This will include Office Communications Online, however, for the time being, businesses can only access Exchange Online and SharePoint Online. Trials of Microsoft Online Services are not available in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Microsoft already applauded global customers of its Online Services, with pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline embracing the Business Productivity Online Suite. “GlaxoSmithKline has more than 100,000 employees, hundreds of business partners, and locations around the world, so effective collaboration is critical to our business,” revealed Bill Louv, chief information officer, GlaxoSmithKline. “We have chosen Microsoft Online Services because it promises to deliver a simple intuitive Information Workplace that should not only value to the company through simplification, but provide an improved user experience and ultimately create a more productive GSK.”