Microsoft Corp. and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ltd., a leading global IT consulting, solutions, services and business process outsourcing (BPO) firm, today announced their plans to advance their strategic alliance to deliver IT solutions to global companies more effectively. As part of this ongoing alliance, Microsoft and TCS plan to collaborate on several key initiatives, including implementation of the Microsoft� Connected Services Framework with telecommunications providers.

"We are extremely pleased to extend our long-standing collaboration with Microsoft to jointly provide leading-edge solutions such as Microsoft Connected Services Framework to the telecommunications industry," said Anita Nanadikar, global head of e-business technologies at TCS. "Our efforts together on Connected Services Framework mark the latest step in the global systems integration alliance between TCS and Microsoft, one that will bring greater value to our customers," said Nanadikar, who is responsible for the Microsoft alliance at TCS.

Microsoft Connected Services Framework is an integrated, server-based software solution that allows telecommunications operators and service providers to create, aggregate and provision converged communications services across multiple networks and a range of device types. The Connected Services Framework can help wireless and wireline operators reduce the cost and time of service deployment, more efficiently utilize existing infrastructure, and generate additional revenue through new services.