Microsoft unveiled no less than five new products set up as its next line of unified communications software. Office Communications Server 2007, Office Communicator 2007, Office Live Meeting, RoundTable and Service pack update of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 were introduced by Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, and Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division.

As of October 16, the Redmond company's unified communications software is available worldwide addressing corporate environments. In Microsoft's vision, its next wave of business communications solutions is nothing short of the next step in the evolution of the currently available voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) systems, both in terms of functionality and of cost.

"In the next decade, sweeping technology innovations driven by the power of software will transform communications," Gates explained. "Working with partners, we're making rapid advances that will enable fundamental advances in the way people communicate and collaborate at work."

"Unified communications software will transform business communications as fundamentally as e-mail did in the 1990s," Raikes added. "Today, Microsoft is in the VoIP game, and our customers and partners are already winning with better economics and new business opportunities."

Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007 are two offerings similar in nature. Both are set up to bring to the table VoIP, video communications and instant messaging, with the Server product also offering conferencing and presence capabilities.

Office Communications Server 2007 is closely integrated with the Office 2007 System and the Dynamics ERP and CRM products scheduled for release later this year. Office Communicator 2007 is, in turn, designed to integrate seamlessly with a range of platforms from the PC to mobile phones.

Office Live Meeting is an advanced conferencing service complete with sharing, recording, and video meeting functionality. In this sense, RoundTable is a conferencing phone featuring a 360-degree panoramic camera.