Company Press Release
Lucent Technologies Launches New Messaging Integrator Channel Targeted
At $2 Billion Unified Messaging Market
MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 1998--Lucent Technologies Octel Messaging Division today announced
the formation of Lucent's Messaging Integrator channel.
This new channel was created to deliver and support the Octel Unified Messenger(TM) for Microsoft(R) Exchange and other
data-centric, multi media messaging and collaborative computing solutions for the information technology (IT) market.
Lucent Technologies also announced Digital Equipment Corporation (NYSE:DEC - news; Digital) as a global member of
this new channel. Under the agreement, Digital Worldwide Services and Exchange Accredited Business Partners will be
engaged in the deployment of Unified Messenger for both Digital and Lucent Technologies customers.
''Our new relationship with Lucent provides Digital with the opportunity to expand its market leadership with Microsoft
Exchange and enhance the multimedia solutions we offer our customers,'' said Jacqueline Kahle, vice president of Messaging
and Collaboration for Digital. ''This initiative with Lucent is a natural fit with our commitment to the Exchange server market
and an additional way we can meet our customers' needs as they work to leverage their investment in Microsoft Exchange.''
''We are delighted to see two of our partners working so closely together in the emerging and strategically important field of
unified messaging,'' said David Malcolm, group product manager for Microsoft Exchange. ''Microsoft Exchange is the
optimal infrastructure for unified messaging, and Lucent's decision to build Unified Messenger on the Exchange server
platform will be good for both Microsoft Exchange and Lucent customers.''
Lucent has created the infrastructure necessary to take advantage of the growing unified messaging marketplace with the
introduction of the Messaging Integrator channel. The addition of this channel complements the company's ability to address
different customers' messaging needs by encompassing both the data and telephony-centric messaging space.
''With the unified messaging market poised for explosive growth, we needed to establish an infrastructure to distribute
solutions to the IT market,'' said Vinnie Deschamps, senior director at Lucent Technologies Octel Messaging Division. ''By
introducing the first of its kind Message Integrator channel, Lucent validates its commitment to data-centric products
solutions.''
''The size of the market for unified messaging over the next three years represents more than $2 billion in software and
services,'' said Harry Schwedock, analyst for Telecom Convergence. ''Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that many of
the new customers will be e-mail users, who, for the first time through unified messaging, will be learning the true benefits of
voice messaging,'' said Schwedock.
Lucent's Octel Unified Messenger for Microsoft Exchange will be the first product for this channel; however, it is anticipated
that additional products and solutions targeted at the IT buyer will be available in the future. In addition to Digital, the Octel
Solution Alliance Members (OSAMs) who have been offering Unified Messenger for Microsoft Exchange will become a
part of this new channel. Lucent has more than 50 members in its new Messaging Integrator channel including companies such
as Software Spectrum Inc. [Nasdaq:SSPE - news] and XLConnect Solutions Inc [Nasdaq:XLCT - news].
Lucent's new channel offers two levels of Messaging Integrators, the Messaging Integrator Member, who sells, installs and
supports channel products, and the Messaging Integrator Sales Associate, who is certified to sell. Initially, resellers,
value-added resellers and distributors in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and South Africa can apply to become a
member of this new channel. Further expansion throughout the European Community, Pacific Rim and the rest of the world is
planned for calendar 1998.
The Lucent Technologies Octel Messaging Division was formed on Sept. 29, 1997 through Lucent's acquisition of Octel
Communications Corporation. The division is a worldwide leader in providing voice messaging equipment and services to
businesses, governments, educational institutions, telephone companies and cellular service providers in more than 90
countries. For more information on Lucent Technologies Octel Messaging Division, visit our Web site at
lucent.com.
Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, New Jersey, designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and
private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and
microelectronic components. Bell Labs is the research and development arm for the company. For more information on
Lucent Technologies, visit our web site lucent.com. |
