Via Channel Web:

Although it won’t launch until the fall, Microsoft’s Friday release to manufacturing of two key components of its VoIP strategy is probably causing some tinkling of champagne glasses in Redmond.

Office Communications Server 2007 and the Office Communicator client are now code complete, Jeff Raikes, president of Microsoft’s Business Division, said Thursday at the vendor’s annual analyst meeting.

"We’re one step close to delivering the products that will establish Microsoft as a major force in communications," said Raikes, adding that Microsoft expects to be able to help organizations cut their enterprise telephony costs in half.