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VIRTUALISATION Microsoft set for global launch of SaaS Office products - UPDATED
VIRTUALISATION Microsoft set for global launch of SaaS Office products - UPDATED | Microsoft set for global launch of SaaS Office products - UPDATED |
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| by Stuart Corner | |
| Tuesday, 03 March 2009 | |
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This article has been updated to include comments from Microsoft on the exclusivity of its deal with Telstra. Featured Whitepaper
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Exchange Online and SharePoint Online are now available for trial in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Organisations worldwide will be able to trial and purchase the entire Business Productivity Online Suite, including Office Communications Online, in April. Businesses will have the option to subscribe to Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online and Office Live Meeting individually or together as a suite. The Business Productivity Online Suite is currently listed at 12.78 euros ($A34.14) per month per user, which offers businesses a 38 percent discount, compared with subscribing separately to the individual services. In addition, Microsoft says it is committed to providing opportunity for a global ecosystem of partners that will sell, customize and provide consulting, migration and managed services for Microsoft Online Services customers around the world. The conspicuous absence of Australia from the list above is explained by the fact that, in Australia, Telstra announced last November a partnership with Microsoft to offer these services, but has yet to launch them. Following the announcement of a similar global partnership between Vodafone and Microsoft last week, Deena Shiff, head of Telstra Business, told iTWire that Telstra's agreement with Microsoft was exclusive. Vodafone however suggested it was looking at introducing the services into Australia. A spokesman for Microsoft has confirmed the exclusivity of its deal with Telstra saying: "The recent announcement surrounding Microsoft’s Online Services agreement with Vodafone does not include Australia. Microsoft Australia has announced a strategic alliance in Australia with Telstra as our primary distributor of Microsoft Online Services." However he held open the possibility of some other channel to market saying: "Microsoft continues to support choice regarding the deployment of our solutions and we are working with our customers and the Australian partner community on a variety of business models and deployment architectures." CONTINUED |
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