Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc., an Alcatel company, and Microsoft Corp. have introduced a combined solution that delivers converged enterprise communication services on existing and next-generation infrastructures. As part of a previously announced alliance, Genesys Enterprise Telephony Software (GETS) will interface with Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005 and Microsoft's upcoming live communications client (code-named "Istanbul") to deliver telephony collaboration for enterprise users.

The combined solution will allow customers to collaborate with colleagues, access availability and presence information, and seamlessly manage phone calls among computers and desktop phones, using either existing PBX or next-generation IP networks. The converged communication applications can be deployed without "ripping and replacing" the existing infrastructure, due to the inherent interoperability of GETS with leading PBXs and IP telephony, thus avoiding significant capital expenditures.

GETS will extend presence and provide control of phone calls via "Istanbul" and other Microsoft Office applications. GETS leverages a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) interface for Live Communications Server 2005, based on the European Computer Manufacturer Association (ECMA) TR-87 industry standard, and allows business users to communicate across a multivendor PBX environment. The product features include:

Manage presence-based call forwarding

Click to dial from their PC

View telephony presence with availability information visible to users on "buddy" lists

See a caller's name and contact details on their desktop at the moment a call arrives and answer the call with a single mouse click

When working away from the office, dynamically "grab" calls going to their desk phone and answer from their current location

Receive e-mail notification of missed calls, with accompanying caller contact details

The companies will make the combined collaboration solution leveraging GETS, Live Communications Server 2005 and Istanbul will be available in the first half of calendar year 2005.