IBM eyes UC business, plans partner collaboration

Bangalore

March 20th, 2008

IBM announced new initiatives for the unified communications market and plans
wide range of investments, product and technology advances and collaboration
with clients and business partners.

IBM forecasts huge opportunities in the unified communications and
collaboration over the next five years. It sees a future in which sweeping
changes will reshape the way businesses communicate and collaborate worldwide
across the private and public sectors.

IBM said in a release that IBM Research is currently exploring a growing
number of social and collaborative software projects with over 70 researchers
dedicated to this work in eight research labs worldwide. In 2008, over 1,300 IBM
software developers and technical experts will make innovative contributions to
unified communications.

In addition, IBM's Venture Capital program is working to identify and fuel
promising new innovations in unified communications

Part of the investment also covers a significant expansion of IBM Lotus
Sametime software products. Work has also begun on blending IBM's social
software expertise into the real-time environment, IBM said in a release.

Large-scale adoption of IBM's unified communications and collaboration
platform and services is growing. The IBM investments will address clients'
requirements for integration of multi-platform environments and multiple network
equipment providers. IBM is making full investment in training engineers,
consultants and services professionals in IBM industry-leading Global Services
Method and Reference Architectures, which have been applied to thousand of
engagements

Many companies from around the world are working with IBM software and
services to deliver new unified communications solutions. IBM and Avaya are
developing a unified communications solution including voice, fax, e-mail or
instant message for the Pennsylvania State Employee's Credit Union.

IBM and Forterra Systems are developing a futuristic, unified communications
solution code-named "Babel Bridge" that could allow US intelligence
agencies to use a common graphical collaboration system to instantly communicate
within a virtual world.

IBM Business Partner, VBrick is introducing the VBrick Lotus Sametime Video
Plug-in, the first product that streams live broadcasts and on-demand digital
video content within the IBM Lotus Sametime environment.