Microsoft and Telstra unveil cloud software offerings

Microsoft® Online Services now available through the Telstra T-Suite® platform.

Sydney, Australia - Microsoft and Telstra today announced the availability of Microsoft Online Services on the Telstra T-Suite platform, giving Australian organisations of all sizes access to a range of business-oriented cloud computing services.

Microsoft Online Services delivers sophisticated business communications and collaboration software such as Exchange Online, Office Communications Online, SharePoint® Online and Office Live Meeting as a simple subscription service, hosted by Microsoft on T-Suite and supported by the Telstra nationwide Next G™ and Next IP™ networks.

Telstra is the primary distributor of the Standard Suite of Microsoft Online Services - other than Microsoft Office Live Meeting - in Australia.

Group Managing Director for Telstra Business, Deena Shiff, said the addition of Microsoft Online Services to T-Suite will help Australian organisations of all sizes bolster productivity and enable greater workforce flexibility.

“In particular, this gives Australia’s small and medium sized businesses access to low-fuss and affordable collaboration and communication software formerly available only to large companies with well-resourced IT infrastructure,” Ms Shiff said.

Kevin Brough, Communications Sector Director, Microsoft Australia, said Microsoft Online Services provided Australian businesses with greater choice in the way they purchased, deployed and maintained the software designed to help their businesses run better.

“As well as being simpler to deploy and maintain, Microsoft Online Services can also be easily scaled to fit changing organisational requirements and provide subscription licensing options to match cash flow management needs,” Mr Brough said.

“By leaving the majority of their IT commodity management to Microsoft and Telstra, businesses can also free up their staff to focus more on their core services and strategy.”

The availability of Microsoft Online Services through Telstra further strengthens the alliance the two companies formed last year, which also incorporates mobile services and unified communications.

Already 115 Microsoft partners have indicated their intention to sell Microsoft Online Services through the Telstra T-Suite service, which will allow them to resell, customise and provide consulting, migration and managed services for the software to their customers.

Microsoft Online Services includes the following:

Exchange Online - a hosted enterprise messaging solution that gives your business added email security, with anywhere access, and operational efficiencies.

SharePoint Online - a highly secure, central location where employees can efficiently collaborate, find organisation resources and manage content and workflow.

Office Communications Online - a hosted instant messaging and presence solution that gives businesses a secure environment for sharing intellectual property and working within teams.

Office Live Meeting - a hosted Web conferencing solution that connects with your colleagues and customers through real-time meetings, training sessions, and events.

All four services are available for as little as $24.95 (RRP) per user per month for businesses with up to 100 staff.

In addition to Microsoft Online Services, T-Suite offers a range of leading software that helps businesses secure their data and manage business processes, customers and communications.