BT gets into bed with Microsoft for cloud services

BT is to resell Microsoft's cloud-based business messaging and collaboration suite, the company announced on Monday.

The Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) will be available to BT's business customers as a fully hosted managed service, including features such as performance management, maintenance and software upgrades.

The enterprise applications suite, which includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online and Office Live Meeting, will be integrated into BT's 21CN network.

"This agreement enables BT and Microsoft to provide large organisations with fully integrated cloud-based business-collaboration tools, while reducing their overall networked IT and infrastructure costs," BT Global Services portfolio head Neil Sutton said in a statement. "The services will also allow customers to build on existing legacy systems, while integrating voice and data applications."

Microsoft's BPOS will be sold through BT from August, and the company said it will integrate the suite with its voice-oriented VPN service, Onevoice, later this year.

Original article: BT to resell Microsoft's business cloud suite from ZDNet UK