Recognizing that customers needed to extend unified communications across company borders, Interoute and Covergence teamed to deliver the recently-launched Interoute One service. This new service from Interoute enables companies with Microsoft’s Live Communications Server (LCS) to communicate securely with users in other companies through any or all of the Microsoft Office Communicator functions such as VoIP, video, IM and presence across fixed and mobile devices. The service is also compatible with the LCS successor, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 (OCS).

This presentation is a case study that looks at the challenges and requirements involved in extending unified communications securely beyond the walls of the enterprise to transform the enterprise desktop into the ultimate communication tool.

Bob Emmerson is an English national living in the Netherlands. He holds a degree in electronic engineering from London University and now works as a freelance writer, part-time consultant and industry observer. Bob writes about Information and Communications Technology for various technical and business publications. In addition he has produced three market reports for the Financial Times as well as a number of white papers. He is currently the European Editor of VON Magazine.

Rod is a co-founder of Covergence and is currently responsible for the company’s overall market strategy. Rod brings over 25 years of experience in both start-ups and large companies. Prior to Covergence, Rod was the VP of Enterprise Products at Macromedia where he was responsible for the introduction of Flex, an XML-based programming environment for the creation of rich, multi-modal Internet applications based on the Flash platform.

Rob has been the Chief Voice Architect at Interoute since 2003 and has driven the development and rollout of Europe's largest International Soft switch network, Interoute's Virtual Voice Network. Prior to Interoute Rob worked on the design team at Telecom Eireann (now Eircom) and as head of operations for ACC Telecom.
Rob has an Honours Engineering degree from Swansea and is a Chartered Engineer of the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology).