One year ago Microsoft Corp. and Nortel* entered into a unique alliance to transform business communications by combining Nortel�s network quality and Microsoft�s reliable unified communications software. Today, businesses are embracing the benefits of the alliance and have purchased and are deploying more than 430,000 licenses for joint solutions. As such, these customers are enhancing their business communications for improved productivity and to help lower total cost of ownership.

Over the past year, Microsoft and Nortel have begun to streamline their licensing to make it easier for customers to buy and manage joint solutions, hosted more than 60 road show events in 35 countries, and opened 100 lab and demonstration centers worldwide for companies to experience the solutions firsthand. As the alliance enters its second year, the companies are continuing their joint research and development across enterprise, carrier and mobile product lines and are poised to ship a variety of new and updated products in the coming months, including Nortel�s UC integrated branch.