Nortel adds UC features in software release

Plus Google acquires Gizmo5; Skype and eBay reach settlement

VoIP, unified messaging, products and services

Today, we'll hit the highlights of recent announcements from Nortel with a new Business Communications Manager software release; Google, which has recently acquired Gizmo5; and a settlement reached between EBay and Skype founders.

The latest software release 5.0 for Nortel's BCM introduces a common software stream for the BCM50 and the BCM450 and adds new unified communications features. Among the upgrades is a feature called "InTouch" that enhances communications with contacts in a user's personal directory across Microsoft Outlook, Nortel BCM, MSN and Skype for click-to-call, click-to-IM and click-to-email.

In other news, Google confirmed reports that it has acquired Gizmo5. According to its blog post, "Gizmo5's engineers will be joining the Google Voice team to continue improving the Google Voice and Gizmo5 experience. Current Gizmo5 users will still be able to use the service, though we will be suspending new signups for the time being, and existing users will no longer be able to sign up for a call-in number."

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Today, we'll hit the highlights of recent announcements from Nortel with a new Business Communications Manager software release; Google, which has recently acquired Gizmo5; and a settlement reached between EBay and Skype founders.

The latest software release 5.0 for Nortel's BCM introduces a common software stream for the BCM50 and the BCM450 and adds new unified communications features. Among the upgrades is a feature called "InTouch" that enhances communications with contacts in a user's personal directory across Microsoft Outlook, Nortel BCM, MSN and Skype for click-to-call, click-to-IM and click-to-email.

In other news, Google confirmed reports that it has acquired Gizmo5. According to its blog post, "Gizmo5's engineers will be joining the Google Voice team to continue improving the Google Voice and Gizmo5 experience. Current Gizmo5 users will still be able to use the service, though we will be suspending new signups for the time being, and existing users will no longer be able to sign up for a call-in number."

Lastly, EBay (which owns Skype) announced it has reached a settlement agreement "that gives Skype ownership over all software previously licensed from Joltid and ends all litigation currently pending against the investor group and eBay at the closing of the acquisition." The agreement clears a big hurdle for eBay to proceed with plans to sell a controlling interest in Skype to Silver Lake and other investors. As part of the agreement, Joltid and Skype founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis will join the investor group; in exchange for contributing Joltid software and a "significant capital investment", the founders will gain a 14% percent stake in Skype.

Read more about voip & convergence in Network World's VoIP & Convergence section.

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