Unified Messaging

Microsoft Exchange 2007 will have a unified message store that contains electronic mail, voice mail, and faxes. It will also allow you to “call your mailbox” from any phone. It will read email to you, play voice mail for you, and allow you to manipulate your calendar with voice commands. And with the integration of scheduling and presence, you’ll not only be able to tell Exchange 2007 to move that important meeting back 30 minutes when you’re running late, but show anyone who can see your presence information where you are when they need to contact you.

Live Communications Server 2007 will add an on-premise audio/video and Web conferencing solution in addition to software-based IP call management. For some small to midsize companies, this can totally replace their current PBX systems. Larger companies will continue to integrate Live Communications Server with their current PBX or VOIP infrastructure in 2007, but it’s not that difficult to imagine new future functionality that will allow enterprise customers to replace their proprietary VOIP systems with future versions of Live Communications Server.

A new version of Office Communicator will enable customers to replace expensive, proprietary IP phones with either their computers (with a headset) or with a new generation of IP phones that have a version of Communicator embedded in them. Microsoft has already aligned itself with some key partners (LG Nortel, Thompson, and Polycom) to produce these new phones. Even mobile phones — the Q from Motorola will be the first — will have new Communicator functionality.