It has been a busy month so far in the convergence market with BroadSoft and Microsoft announcing the general availability of a BroadSoft hosted UC service based on Microsoft software. There was also the debut of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2, Nortel's launch of BCM450 IP PBX targeted at midsize businesses, Sylantro's release of hosted voice applications on Amazon's EC2 Cloud, and the decision by the IMS Forum and the NGN Forum to merge. Today we'll focus on BroadSoft and Microsoft's announcements and discuss the remaining news in our next newsletter later this week.

BroadSoft and Microsoft announced the general availability of a hosted unified communications service for business from BroadSoft, based on Microsoft software. The unified communications platform includes options for instant messaging, e-mail, phone and video. The vendor claims the platform “enhances business processes by integrating communications features with business process software, including CRM, accounting and ERP,” according to a joint statement. The solution is built on Microsoft’s Hosted Messaging and Collaboration (HMC) Version 4.5 and is integrated with BroadSoft's BroadWorks business telephony platform.

According to Michael Tessler, CEO and president of BroadSoft, the combined solution allows service providers to bring to market next-generation communication services to their customers. . . integrating telephony and desktop applications without the carrying costs of premises-based equipment and support.

Alex Danyluk, industry director, global telecom business for the Communications Sector at Microsoft said the “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."

In a separate announcement at VoiceCon in Amsterdam, Microsoft debuted the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Release 2 (R2), which is currently in private beta testing, and will become available to the general public beginning in February 2009. The new release will provide new functionality for software-powered voice (particularly for remote and mobile workers) offer on-premises audio conferencing, and include the ability to build communications-enabled business processes. Key features include: dial-in audio conferencing, desktop sharing, persistent group chat, attendant console and delegation, SIP trunking, a workflow design application, mobility and single-number reach, and new developer tools for business applications.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Larry Hettick is a principal analyst at Current Analysis.