Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Wednesday, Nov 23, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Wednesday, Nov 23, 2005 |
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Telecommunications Info-Tech - Alliances & Joint Ventures VSNL, Microsoft tie up for Web conferencing service Our Bureau
Ms Neelam Dhawan, Managing Director, Microsoft India, and Mr Kishor Chaukar, Director, VSNL, at the launch of Web conferencing service in Mumbai on Tuesday. - - Paul Noronha
Mumbai , Nov. 22 VIDESH Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), in a tie-up with Microsoft Corporation, has launched Web conferencing services in India. Announcing this to the media here on Tuesday, Mr Kishor Chaukar, Director, VSNL, said the company expects good demand for the service from corporates including those in the SME sector. The service, based on the `Microsoft Office Live Meeting' platform, will enable instant team communication for business houses that have multi-location offices, either in the country or abroad. This would not only reduce travel time, but also enable them to take quick decisions, said Mr Chaukar. The strategic alliance with Microsoft, Mr Chaukar said, would allow the company to offer more communication services in the Indian market leveraging the combined strength of both. VSNL would be providing the service for the first time in India through Tata Indicom. It would be available in two versions — Standard and Professional — and will come in four variations: named user licence (fixed and dedicated capacity for unlimited meetings); room licence (always on meeting room); monthly minute licence (pay per use) and shared seat licence (pool of seats for multiple use). Though the pricing will be purely based on customer demand, it would vary approximately between Rs 17-20 per minute per consumer. The service will be available throughout the country with immediate effect. Ms Neelam Dhawan, Managing Director, Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd, said, "Delivering software as a service is key to improving access to IT and ensuring that Indian enterprises and consumers can realise the benefits of technology. The rapid growth of telecom networks and adoption of IT is fostering a marketplace that is ready for converged solutions. The Web conferencing service is an example of the powerful converged solutions that such a partnership can provide." Under the alliance, VSNL will combine its vast communication network with Microsoft software to create rich solutions and services targeted at these segments. Microsoft Office Live Meeting is a global Web conferencing service that is being used by businesses across the world to communicate efficiently and reduce costs. Microsoft, itself expects to save costs up to $75 million during 2005 by using "Live Meeting". The two companies plan to focus on the next generation of services for corporates and homes including integrated communications and collaboration, hosted software as a managed service and consumer digital media services. Most of these services would be available in India for the first time.
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