Ascendent Systems Joins Microsoft Technology Adoption Program
February 8, 2005
San Jose, Calif., February 7, 2005 Ascendent Systems today announced that it is working with Microsoft under Microsoft s Technology Adoption Program (TAP) for independent software vendors with plans for integrated solutions based on its PowerConnect Communications Platform. The integrated solutions enable support for Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005, an enterprise instant messaging (IM) and presence-awareness solution, and Microsoft s upcoming integrated communications client, code-named Istanbul. These new solutions will combine Microsoft s enterprise IM, presence, and computer-based telephony applications with Ascendent s advanced voice and messaging applications already extended to legacy PBX, cellular, VoIP, PSTN, and MSN Messenger devices to merge real-time computer communications with real-time voice communications.
Supporting Microsoft s latest Live Communications Server 2005 environment is a natural evolution of our traditional support for Microsoft s telephony clients, said Mark Hicks, vice president of business development, Ascendent Systems. Our strategic relationship with Microsoft will deliver solutions that extend application control to established telephony systems through computer telephony integration, providing Live Communications Server 2005 and Istanbul customers with a broader real-time collaborative communications environment and a more efficient user experience.
Ascendent is another example of the vibrant partner ecosystem working with Microsoft to extend the benefits of presence and collaborative applications via computer-telephony integration, said Marc Sanders, senior product manager in the Real-Time Collaboration Group at Microsoft. With broad support for enterprise communication infrastructures, coupled with the ability to provision a consistent set of PBX-like voice services and applications, Ascendent solutions provide an excellent, reliable conduit to legacy systems as customers migrate to next- generation, application-driven solutions, and in turn amplify the value of Live Communications Server 2005 and Istanbul.
Ascendents PowerConnect Communications Platform extends an advanced set of tightly integrated enterprise applications including voice (e.g. mobility, conferencing, etc.), message notification / polling, and communications continuity applications across any enterprise communication infrastructure enabling greater mobile-workforce productivity, accelerated speed of business communications and response, and augmented business continuity strategies to now include voice.
Ascendent Systems will be showcasing the Ascendent PowerConnect Communications Platform at VoiceCon® 2005 in booth # 545. In addition to the ongoing booth demonstrations, Ascendent will be providing a product briefing from 2:45 3:45pm on Tuesday, February 8th in the Oceanic 1 presentation hall. VoiceCon® 2005 (www.voicecon.com) will be held February 7-10, 2005 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
About Ascendent Systems
Ascendent Systems, headquartered in San Jose, CA, is a leading developer of advanced voice and messaging solutions focused on accelerating the speed of business communications and responsiveness. Partnered with major mobile carrier and infrastructure providers, Ascendent has production solutions deployed in Fortune 500 corporations across many industry verticals including manufacturing, healthcare, government, hospitality, and education.