Microsoft to compete with Skype for enterprise VoIP

Microsoft is set to compete with Skype for business users, having signed up VoIP provider Interoute as the first European service provider to supply Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking for Microsoft Office.

Businesses looking to reduce communications costs will be able to use Microsoft Office to make free business quality VoIP calls, and low cost telephone calls to virtually any communications device.

International and roaming calls can also be made from the service at dramatically lower prices.

Connecting up Microsoft Office via SIP trunking enables enterprises to transfer to unified communications and VoIP without having to discard their previous investment in PBX platforms or having to put money into an expensive migration project.

Interoute’s Europe network currently carries 500 million VoIP minutes every month for wholesale carriers and enterprises.

Victor Schmedding, of Microsoft, said: “The combination of Interoute One and Microsoft Office Communications Server provides a powerful new way for people to use OCS as an external telephony solution and offers customers a rich and integrated communications experience.”

Gareth Williams, Interoute CEO, said Microsoft’s choice of his firm is a “clear endorsement” of Interoute’s “capability to provide enterprises with a secure ‘Skype-like’ service.”

SIP trunking enables Microsoft Office users to connect to Interoute’s network so they can use MS Office Communicator as an external VoIP tool.