Microsoft is anticipated to announce on October 2 that it has released to production (RTM;d) that its Response Point small-business phone-system software, based on sources close towards the provider.
Response Stage,
Office Professional 2010, the item previously codenamed “Edinburgh,
Office 2007 Product Key,” will be brought to market by handset vendors. It is targeted at companies with one to 50 employees.
When Microsoft initially announced Response Level,
Microsoft Office Professional 2007, it said the first telephone units would come from three OEMs,
Microsoft Office Professional 2010, D-Link, Quanta and Uniden. According to sources, Uniden has decided against producing Response Point handsets. (I;ve contacted Microsoft for comment; so far no word back.)
Response Position phone systems from Quanta and D-Link are expected to be priced at under $5,
Office 2010 Key,500, based on sources.
Update: Looks like the tipsters were on the money. Here;s Microsoft;s October 2 Response Position press release. No Uniden — but there is a new Response Point OEM on the list — Aastra Technologies.
Response Point is just one of a number of communications products Microsoft and its partners will be launching this month. Microsoft is gearing up for its Office Communications Server 2007 rollout on October 16. Microsoft will be launching not just OCS 2007, but also the accompanying Office Communicator 2007 client, Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack (SP) 1 and the new version of Office Live Meeting on that date.