14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft Communication Services was created in an effort to help partners market hosted unified communications to small and midsize business customers. Designed as a partner initiative, Microsoft Communication Services is available to both hosting providers and resellers. The Redmond company underlined that the program could be leveraged by the members of the Microsoft Partner Network that achieved the Hosting Solutions competency. According to the software giant, benefits include a collection of marketing collateral as well as the possibility to take advantage of the Microsoft brand.
“SMBs are increasingly interested in communication and collaboration tools to improve productivity and reduce costs,” explained John Zanni, general manager of the Worldwide Software plus Services Industry team. “The majority of customers in the SMB segment want to purchase Microsoft Hosted Exchange and Microsoft Office Communications Server services from companies that package these offerings. With Microsoft Communication Services, hosting providers and their resellers are speaking the language of their customers.”
Microsoft Communication Services was launched two years after the software giant started piloting the service together with Comcast. The Redmond company in fact developed Microsoft Communication Services together with Comcast, and debuted the pilot in November 2007. Opening up the Microsoft Communication Services to hosting partners worldwide comes as a natural evolution of the success delivered by the pilot program. In this regard, Microsoft says that Comcast now accounts for in excess of 100,000 email users on Hosted Exchange.
“Microsoft Communication Services from Comcast is an integral part of our Business Class Internet service and truly differentiates us from our competition,” added Bill Stemper, president, Comcast Business Services. “Not only does it help small-business owners be more productive but it also helps them save money by dramatically reducing their need for communication servers and IT support.”