Taking Another Stab at Telephony

With the release of Live Communications Server (LCS) 2005 SP1 and Office Communicator 2005, Microsoft is taking another stab at business-oriented computer-telephony integration (CTI). Unlike earlier attempts to entice hardware developers to build specialized telephony equipment, such as private branch exchanges (PBXs), on top of Windows, Microsoft is now aiming at software that extends existing PBXs with features such as user roaming and Active Directory (AD) integration. However, some important capabilities are still missing, and getting the new capabilities will require complex integration with the PBXs. Furthermore, customers will have to pay substantially more for new Client Access Licenses (CALs).

The new solution focuses on business markets, but the company is also pursuing telephony opportunities in consumer markets as well. (For more information about the company’s consumer efforts, see “Voice over IP Startup Acquired“.)

Why Is Microsoft Interested in CTI?

Although most telephone switching equipment today is controlled by a computer system, CTI links PBX-based phone systems and the traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) with desktop computers and servers, thereby enabling features such as the following: