Microsoft Aims At Integrated Communications

Microsoft plans to introduce early next year an upgraded integrated-communications client that provides real-time collaboration capabilities by combining instant messaging, presence, audio- and videoconferencing, telephony, and application, data, and file sharing. The client, known as Istanbul, is designed to work with a new version of Microsoft's Live Communications Server, which will be released in a few weeks. The communications and collaboration system can serve up to 100,000 users.

The software lets PC users control just about every type of communication with a few mouse clicks, rerouting or forwarding phone calls from an office phone to a mobile phone to a home phone, or quickly setting up audio- and videoconferences and IM chats. The client will be integrated with Microsoft Office applications so people can use the communications and collaborations capabilities without having to switch to another application. It also will work with PBX voice systems from many vendors and a variety of conferencing services.

The client "sounds very promising," says Genelle Hung, senior analyst with the Radicati Group, a research firm. The combination of instant messaging, telephony, presence, and Web conferencing is "really what information workers and power users will most likely need and want to use."