Microsoft's new Office Communications Server and Unified Communications offerings will not only have a major impact on local businesses but will also create exciting opportunities for local applied technology solutions providers such as the JSE-listed Square One Solutions Group.
"As Microsoft Gold Partners, we have been watching the progress of OCS with interest and have been strategising the role it will play in our clients' businesses into the future," says Adrian Boyd, Policy Solutions Business Unit manager at Square One.
"We are highly motivated by the collaboration opportunities OCS will create and we are determined to be the South African Microsoft partner of choice for client OCS implementations going forward."
OCS brings Microsoft into the fast-growing unified communications market in competition with the dominant networking organisations and telecommunications switch vendors. Boyd says unification will enable calls to be made from within PC software applications and will allow easy collaboration such as videoconferencing, from multiple locations.
"Microsoft has mentioned a US$45 billion total market for unification technologies this year, including a focus on interoperability with independent software vendors and new hardware devices such as portable conference phones and PBXes. OCS also adds VOIP to messaging services in Microsoft's Live Communications Server that will cater for the eventual migration to VOIP."
To create the ideal platform for achieving business goals in the OCS and UC space, Square One is busy implementing OCS on the company's internal national network and will go live during the traditionally quiet December/January period.
"Implementing and using OCS internally will give us a very good perspective of how OCS can enhance business applications within our client base," adds Boyd.
Geoff Norman, Square One's Group Business Development director, believes one of the most exciting aspects of the company's strategy in the unified communications space is its relationship with two of Microsoft's well publicised partners, Mitel and Polycom.
"Square One is a Mitel Gold Partner for its range of IP telephony solutions and is a registered reseller of the Polycom range of video conferencing and collaboration systems in South Africa. This gives us enormous credibility in terms of being able to effectively integrate the strengths of Mitel's IP telephony and Polycom's video collaboration solutions with Microsoft OCS."
Norman adds that Mitel South Africa and South African distribution representative for Polycom, Kathea Communications, support Square One's initiatives. "Both manufacturers have been working extensively with Microsoft internally in developing seamless 'hooks' into their multimedia solutions, and Mitel in particular has developed a very strong relationship."
Boyd concludes that the potential to add value from Microsoft's feature-rich software, with both Mitel and Polycom application-ready hardware and functionality, constitutes a huge opportunity. "This is inspirational for us in our goal to become the most proficient integrator in this market segment in South Africa."
Share
Square One Solutions Group is listed on the Software & Computer Services sector of the JSE Limited. It focuses on providing vertically centric, applied technology solutions, has a national footprint and more than 21 years of experience in the South African market. Square One Solutions offers value-based solutions centred on infrastructure and facility solutions, policy solutions, industrial coding and marking solutions, tailored finance and leasing services to its key target market of enterprise, SME, corporate and government clients. The company also distributes document solutions, colour input and output devices and provides 24x7 national support and service. For more information, visit www.sq1.co.za.
Editorial contacts