At the Unified Communications Launch 2007 worldwide event in San Francisco, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Jeff Raikes, Microsoft Business Division president, launched the company's next generation of unified communications products and services, and described how partners and customers are benefiting from the company's unified communications software.

Speaking to executives and IT professionals from around the world, Gates and Raikes described Microsoft's vision for unified communications and the value customers are realizing from the company's software and services today. Moreover, they outlined the momentum behind the partner ecosystem supporting Microsoft's software-based approach to VoIP and unified communications.

View the keynote address Streaming video

Bill Gates wraps up the worldwide launch in a five minute interview.

If the Internet flattened the world, what will be the effect of the current communications revolution on individuals, organizations, societies, and institutions? Listen as Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division, leads a panel discussion among experts from various disciplines and points of view.

The Future of Communications Panelists

Moderator: Jeff Raikes
President, Microsoft Business Division

Marianne Broadbent
Former Gartner Fellow
Author of The New CIO Leader: Setting the Agenda and Delivering Results

Charles Firestone
Executive Director, Aspen Institute, Communications and Society Program

Ben Jones
Professor, Kellogg School of Management

Derek Woodgate
President, The Futures Lab

The Future of Communications, Highlights
(11 minutes, 45 seconds)
Low Speed | High Speed

The Future of Communications, Full Version
(50 minutes, 41 seconds)
Low Speed | High Speed

Tayside Rescue Workers Reduce Costs
Read the case study | View the video

Siemens Estimates 30 Percent Savings

L'Occitane Bridges Communication Gap

Global Crossing Consolidates to Cut Costs

BHP Billiton Saves Up To 10K Per Meeting

Shaw Group Cuts Costs 30 Percent

Government of Alberta Drives Efficiencies

Bissell Integrates Tools for Greater ROI

Quanta Drives Productivity, Reduces Costs

Barry University Strengthens Communications

Even if you couldn't attend, increase your understanding in 10 key areas related to unified communications with these presentations from the event.

Administering within a UC environment
(PPT 2003, 4.3 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 1 MB)

Deploying Office Communicator 2007
(PPT 2003, 10.9 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 1.8 MB)

Embedding UC in your applications
(PPT 2003, 13.2 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 5.82 MB)

Exchange Server 2007 SP1 overview
(PPT 2003, 8.16 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.34 MB)

Security and governance in UC solutions
(PPT 2003, 10.8 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.41 MB)

Solutions for mobility and anywhere access
(PPT 2003, 8.94 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.43 MB)

Unified communications and the end user
(PPT 2003, 8.66 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.43 MB)

User-focused approach to optimal VoIP quality
(PPT 2003, 7.89 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.46 MB)

VoIP Topologies and interoperability
(PPT 2003, 12.7 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 4.16 MB)

Web conferencing solutions
(PPT 2003, 12.4 MB) | (PPTX 2007, 2.93 MB)