IBM creates advanced real-time collaboration platform designed for the speed of today's global business environment

IBM's new platform includes a new version of IBM® Lotus® Sametime®, new audio and video conferencing integration, and connectivity with some of the leading consumer IM platforms, including AOL, and Yahoo! In addition, IBM and Google intend to connect Lotus Sametime and Google Talk users.

'Real Time technology is the key to diminish time and space barriers between people. It helps bring together geographically dispersed team members and improve individual and team productivity. This is an evolution that intensely alters how people do business,' said Bashar Kilani, software group manager, IBM Middle East, Egypt and Pakistan.

'We are very pleased to introduce a set of new collaborative tools and technologies that meet the growing demands of high-speed businesses. With an advanced synchronized collaboration platform, our customers will keep up with the constant changes that occur in today's real-time business world.'

In today's increasingly global economy, the speed of business has increased dramatically, which has made real-time collaboration tools a critical aspect of daily work life. Customers increasingly rely on tools such as instant messaging, web conferencing and other real-time technologies to share knowledge and quickly react to market changes and opportunities. In response to this growing demand, IBM has created a platform that gives customers the flexibility to collaborate using a variety of tools for different work situations and business needs.

With over 15 million Lotus Sametime users, IBM is poised to expand its leadership in the growing instant messaging market through Lotus Sametime 7.5. This new version includes more than 100 new features and represents a major upgrade in instant messaging and Web conferencing capabilities. It provides an attractive 'look and feel' for IM client interface with enhanced security features and simplified connections with other instant messaging platforms. Lotus Sametime 7.5 includes a new web conferencing interface designed with tools and technologies to make it easier to create and more effectively manage online meetings.

IBM today announced that it is working with leaders in the public instant messaging market to help Lotus Sametime users securely connect with public instant messaging communities. As a leader in the development and support of the SIP standard, IBM will be enabling this connectivity through a new SIP-based Real-Time Collaboration Gateway that is currently planned to be available later this year. IBM is embedding this capability in Lotus Sametime, without additional charge to customers. Workings with IBM to enable enterprise-to-public IM connectivity include AOL, Yahoo, and Google.

This broad, out-of-the-box connectivity with the industry's leading consumer IM providers extends the business benefits of Lotus Sametime and gives IBM customers a security-rich way to collaborate with millions of public instant messaging users worldwide.

IBM is working with leaders in the audio and video industries to help make businesses more agile, responsive, and productive through the seamless integration of audio, video and PC-based collaboration tools. Supporting IBM in this area is a number of industry leaders including Avaya, Nortel, Polycom, Premiere Global Services, Siemens, and Tandberg.

The convergence of leading telephony capabilities with IBM's collaboration solutions will provide customers with 'click-to-call' capabilities, enabling businesses to instantly place a telephone call to an instant messaging or email contact while remaining in their inbox or instant messaging client.The integration of video capabilities, on the other hand, enables businesses to embed business quality video into their existing Web conferencing; instant messaging and email infrastructure, helping organizations further enhance communications.

Sametime 7.5 is currently expected to be available in mid-2006 and pricing will be announced upon availability. Integrated audio solutions for Lotus Notes and Domino and Lotus Sametime are available now with Avaya and Premiere Global Services, with solutions from other partners are currently expected in 2006.