Microsoft, IBM commit to unified communications interoperability test

Microsoft and IBM plan to carry out an interoperability test between their respective unified communications platforms, according to an off-the-cuff remark made by execs from the vendors at this week's VoiceCon in Orlando, Fla.

According to Eric Kapf writing in the NoJitter blog, "Fred Knight [NoJitter publisher] and Jim Burton [CT Link CEO] were moderating a session on UC and Software Architectures, and the debate turned, as it often does in this recurring session, to the topic of standards and interoperability. Pat Galvin [lead architect for Lotus Sametime] threw down the gauntlet: 'Let's have interoperability testing with Microsoft. Is that so hard? Let's do that.' Fred pounced, immediately offering to host that testing, or a demonstration of it, at VoiceCon San Francisco this coming November. Microsoft [Senior Director of Product Management in the Unified Communications Group at Microsoft] Eric Swift extended his hand to Pat Galvin and said, 'Let's commit to followup after this meeting.' They shook on it."

Now such a test would be interesting given both companies' aggressive stance in unified communications. IBM just committed to pumping $1 billion into its unified communications strategy, while Microsoft is in hot pursuit of Cisco and any other vendor in its way in the unified communications race. What transpires will be interesting to watch.

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