Today at Fall 2005 VON, Qwest Communications International Inc. and Microsoft Corp. announced that they are working together to provide small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers with a converged communications solution. By integrating the Microsoft® Solution for Enhanced VoIP services with Qwest’s OneFlex™ Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services, Qwest will offer SMB subscribers a comprehensive managed suite of services that combines VoIP, e-mail, Internet access, collaboration, presence, instant messaging and desktop services.

Qwest and Microsoft expect the service will be available in 2006. Qwest is the first service provider to integrate the Microsoft Solution for Enhanced VoIP Services.

“Small and medium-sized businesses want access to the same types of communications services that large enterprises enjoy today, but the investment and resources required to manage those services have traditionally been out of their reach,” said Tom Richards, executive vice president of the business markets group at Qwest. “With Microsoft, we can make this a reality for our customers. We’ll be able to provide SMBs with powerful, yet easy-to-use telephony and desktop capabilities.”