WebMessenger extends Microsoft OCS to Nokia users

WebMessenger has added support for Nokia handsets to its messaging middleware platform, which enables a wider range of corporate phones to be used with Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS) for mobile presence and messaging functions.

Available immediately, WebMessenger Mobile for Microsoft OCS brings the same functionality to Nokia S60 devices as the Communicator Mobile client supports on Windows mobile handsets, according to WebMessenger president Joe Naylor.

"We've seen Microsoft having tremendous success over the past year, with customers ripping out and replacing Lotus Sametime and Jabber in favour of OCS, " he said.

However, communications vendors such as Nortel have found their customers wish to integrate mobile handsets with any new IP PBX system, and Microsoft only provides an OCS client for its own Windows Mobile platform. Businesses typically have a mix of devices, especially Nokia phones.

"We’re currently the only vendor with OCS support on Nokia," Naylor said. The company also announced support for BlackBerry devices in May.

Jeremy Green, principal analyst for enterprise mobility at Ovum, said that a solution such as WebMessenger Mobile addresses a real business need.

"Until now, OCS has been a closed world where you needed Microsoft infrastructure and Microsoft handsets, but few enterprises want to commit to just a single handset platform," he said.

OCS itself provides a unified communications system integrating web conferencing, instant messaging and voice and video call support for desktop Windows users.

WebMessenger Mobile requires a server-based component that links with OCS, but also integrates with Active Directory so that administrators can create mo bile messaging user groups and push out the client to user handsets.

"The key point here is that the user has the same credentials as their desktop account," said Naylor. WebMessenger can also integrate with other messaging systems such as Lotus SameTime and Jabber, he added, and can be operated as a hosted service by carriers.

For enterprise customers, WebMessenger Mobile for Microsoft OCS costs $72 (£36) per handset licence, while the server costs $4,995 (£2,526) and can support up to 10,000 users.

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