Alcatel's Genesys to Deliver Converged Enterprise Communications

SAN FRANCISCO - Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc. has signed a strategic agreement with Microsoft. Teaming with Microsoft's Real-Time Collaboration Group, Genesys plans to offer an integrated solution that enables users of Microsoft's next generation communications client, "Istanbul," to access contact information and make telephone calls through their computer.

"Partnerships between companies that understand telephony and those that focus on desktop applications present interesting visions for future business communications and collaboration. They will allow the integration of common desktop applications with well known existing PBXs and IP-PBXs," said Gartner vice president Bern Elliot. "Combining telephone functionality with instant messaging opens the door to a new suite of applications for business phones."

Products resulting from the agreement will take advantage of presence capabilities to provide users with an instant view of whether contacts are online or on the phone, while delivering point-and-click capabilities for placing and transferring calls and scheduling instant conferences from their Microsoft desktop.