Microsoft's role in VoIP -- particularly with the public beta of Office Communications Server 2007 -- is less about simple telephony and more about unified communications, according to one analyst. Microsoft noted that companies will not have to replace their existing phone systems to use Office Communications Server 2007. By the end of this month, Microsoft will be releasing a public beta of its VoIP server software, an application that Redmond says will integrate seamlessly with its Office suite of productivity applications.



Users can already register to download the beta of Office Communications Server 2007 through the Microsoft Web site, as well as sign up for Office Communicator 2007, a client application for mobile and desktop systems that blends voice, video, and instant messaging.

The VoIP offering is designed to take advantage of the widespread use of the Office application suite. For example, users can launch a VoIP call from within Word if a phone number is found in a Word document. Or they can make a call from inside Outlook, from an e-mail or from a contact record.

Microsoft noted that companies will not have to replace their existing phone systems to use the new server software because it interoperates with other networks as well as with different devices and management tools.

Getting Unified

Microsoft's role in VoIP is less about simple telephony and more about unified communications, said Yankee Group analyst Zeus Kerravala.

"They're taking voice, and other forms of messaging, and making it more of a feature," he said. "It's not so much a product they're trying to sell as an integrated feature that shows they have a different approach than other vendors."

The quest for enterprise adoption will likely come down to Cisco and Microsoft battling each other for market dominance. But the two companies could attract different types of customers, Kerravala noted.

"If you believe in voice as a network service, then Cisco will be appealing," he said. "But if you think of voice as a feature of messaging, you'll probably go with Microsoft."

Enterprise Play

Another aspect to Microsoft's VoIP play will be its integration with mobility, particularly with the company's recently introduced Windows Mobile 6.0 software.

Although he would not comment specifically on Microsoft's chances of gaining a greater foothold in mobile VoIP, Aberdeen research director of wireless mobility Philippe Winthrop did note that more organizations are looking at mobile VoIP as a way to enhance productivity and reduce their cellular costs.