Microsoft rethinking its Response Point small-bus

Microsoft;s advertising models are just one of several that were impacted heavily through the second wave of Microsoft layoffs introduced on Could possibly 5. Response Stage, Microsoft;s small-business phone team, also took a hit.About the Mini-Microsoft blog, various anonymous posters created it sound as if Microsoft has killed the Response Level staff and product. But a Microsoft spokesperson mentioned this isn't the case.In response to my concerns about the group and its fate, here is what Microsoft is stating:“While the Response Level group was impacted by yesterday;s job eliminations, the comments in Mini are not correct.- We will continue to support Response Level version 1.0. and the current OEMs, Service Providers and resellers that are selling it. Customers will continue to be supported through their OEMs.
- We will also continue to promote the product online and spotlight compatible 3rd party services and add-on products.
- The crew is evaluating the strategy for the next version of the item and will continue to investigate the opportunity in the little business market.
- The Response Position team has not been moved to another division.”(According to posts on Mini-Microsoft, the Response Position staff was, most recently, part of the Startup Organization Accelerator incubator under Sanjay Parthasarathy. No official word so far on whether MSN Direct and the .Net Micros Framework, which posters on Mini also identified as Parthasarathy projects that got the axe, actually did.)Last I heard, the Response Position staff was hard at work around the next version of Response Level, code-named “Austin.” Based on this new information from Microsoft, it;s not clear when and if that release still will come to market.Microsoft released Response Position 1.0 in October 2007. The product, which offered VOIP calling and a voice-activated user interface, is aimed at companies with 1 to 50 phones. Response Point OEMs — including D-Link, Uniden, Quanta Computer and Aastra, bundle Microsoft;s Response Point software with their telephone systems.“Evaluating the strategy for the next version of the product” doesn;t mean Response Level is definitely going forward (since 1 option could be to discontinue it). But that;s all Microsoft is declaring publicly at the moment….