Interoute launches Cloud Hosted Microsoft Lync Service with video and voice extras

Interoute has announced the launch of the Interoute Hosted Lync service. By integrating Hosted Lync into its Video as a Service Cloud, Interoute is enabling Lync users to join and host video conferences with any other internal or external end devices, from mobile phones and tablets to room-based and fully immersive telepresence suites, regardless of connectivity and as part of a standard service package. Interoute has also bundled in its Microsoft Certified SIP trunking capability, enabling its Hosted Lync service with full PSTN and mobile termination, as well as inbound calling with DDIs in more than fifty countries.

Interoute Hosted Lync is a Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solution that is hosted on Interoute’s Virtual Data Centre (VDC) platform as an off-the-shelf product. The service can be up and running in a matter of days, slashing the typical deployment project timescales by over 6 months.

Offered at a fixed monthly price per customer instance, Interoute Hosted Lync also removes the need for businesses to invest valuable resources in designing, purchasing and managing the solution themselves. A unique feature of this service is that it comes with integration to Interoute’s Video as a Service Cloud, enabling all Hosted Lync clients to attend and initiate video conference meetings with any other internal and external endpoints, regardless of whether these devices are using IP, ISDN or any other type of connectivity.

Gartner predicts that by 2016, two-thirds of the workforce will have a smartphone or tablet device. As enterprises come to grips with the ever increasing mobile work force and recent trends such as BYOD, the demand for IT departments to enable enterprise workers with the capability and flexibility to communicate remotely, across a full range of devices, has never been greater.

Matthew Finnie, CTO, Interoute said, “In today’s on-demand world, communication has to happen seamlessly across multiple devices and in different forms, whether voice, video, IM or another collaboration channel. The need for truly flexible communications within arm’s reach is a necessity, not just a ‘nice to have’. The launch of Interoute’s Hosted Lync service is an exciting part of this evolution, empowering a more interactive workforce, whilst reducing the challenges for businesses to implement and manage new technology.”

Interoute was the first European service provider to be certified by Microsoft for Lync Server 2010 SIP trunking enabling increased staff productivity, and manages over one billion voice minutes a month. In addition, Interoute is one of Europe’s largest Video Conferencing providers.