Microsoft's Small Biz VoIP Play Hits the Street

The new VoIP system, built on software from Microsoft and hardware from OEM partners D-Link Systems and Quanta Computer, is aimed at businesses with up to 50 users. Aastra Technologies, another recently-signed OEM partner, is expected to release systems in 2008.

It follows closely on the heels of the long-awaited launch of Microsoft's enterprise VoIP portfolio, including its Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007, last month at an event hosted by Chairman Bill Gates.

With its entrance into the space, Microsoft will face off against Cisco Systems, which is also stepping up its efforts in small business VoIP. San Jose, Calif.-based Cisco last week rolled out a new version of its Unified Communications 500 Series IP telephony platform that scales up to 48 users.

Microsoft is touting its new Response Point product line for its ease-of-use, voice-activated user interface and strong channel play.

"VARs and channel partners will have a lot of opportunities," said Xuedong Huang, general manager of Response Point for Microsoft, Redmond, Wash.

Huang said the new phone system will enable a whole new set of partners to get into the VoIP game.

"Traditionally they face a challenge to branch out into telephony. Telephony has a [reputation] for being very hard to learn. It takes a long time to be certified because it's complex and requires specialized expertise," Huang said. "Response Point is going to change that."

To date, Microsoft has trained approximately 1,000 solution providers nationwide on the new technology. Most are networking VARs that have not yet gotten into the VoIP space he said.

Response Point phone systems will serve as a lead-in for other Microsoft small business products such as its Dynamics CRM package, said Tom Strickland, network service manager at Congruent Software, a Microsoft Gold partner in Bellevue, Wash., that has received the training.

Strickland said customers have already shown interest in the product line.

"We did a Response Point demo at an event we hold for customers, and the response to the system was fantastic," Strickland said.

Aaron Booker, president of Hardlines, a solution provider in Bellingham, Wash., said his initial skepticism about the system and its capabilities was overcome after participating in Response Point training.

"It's a 1.0 product and voice is critical. You can't be rebooting your phone. It can't be a traditional Microsoft 'wait for Service Pack 2'," Booker said of his doubts. "But I think they get it with Response Point [because of] their attention to detail."

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