Concentric and Microsoft Launch Hosted E-Mail Service for SMEs
Posted on June 17, 2008
Filed Under Microsoft
LAS VEGAS, June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Today at NXTcomm08,
Microsoft Corp. and Concentric announced new hosted e-mail service
offerings for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Concentric, a
large-scale e-mail service provider, is deploying Microsoft Hosted Exchange
to combine the productivity benefits of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 and
Microsoft Office Outlook with its enterprise-class applications hosting
platform.
Concentric will market the new services to its existing customers as an
additional e-mail option as well as to new customers as a stand-alone or
packaged Exchange solution. Concentric’s business customers will be able to
add Hosted Exchange mailboxes to their Concentric account and easily manage
all Hosted Exchange services and add-ons via a single convenient online
control panel and have access to Concentric Customer Support and
Professional Services.
Many SMEs have not yet been able to benefit from the productivity gains
offered through Microsoft Exchange and Outlook because of high startup
costs for purchasing hardware and software, as well as the need to hire
technical staff to manage and operate e-mail servers. Concentric’s Hosted
Exchange service enables productivity gains, platform reliability and
security features, and support at affordable prices with no startup costs.
With Outlook Web Access also available, the solution fits closely with
Concentric’s target market of online, mobile businesses. In addition,
access to e-mail via Windows Mobile-based devices using built-in Microsoft
ActiveSync makes this service a rich enhancement to Concentric’s product
suite.
“Our long history of providing security-enhanced and reliable e-mail
solutions enables us to deliver Microsoft’s industry-leading messaging and
collaboration software on one of the most secure and reliable applications
hosting platforms available today,” said Barbara Branaman, president at
Concentric. “SMEs can now enjoy the same level of functionality that large
enterprises have, with the added productivity gains from the robust
collaboration tools in Hosted Exchange. And if an SME needs additional
assistance, our Professional Services team serves as a ‘pay-as-you-go’ IT
department.”
“There are more than 30 million SMEs in the U.S., according to the U.S.
Small Business Administration and Internal Revenue Service,” said Martha
Bejar, corporate vice president for the Communications Sector at Microsoft.
“The SME market is moving toward hosted IT solutions to decrease costs and
increase security, reliability and employee productivity. With more than 10
years as a reliable provider of e-mail and Web hosting services, the
addition of Microsoft Hosted Exchange is a natural fit for Concentric as it
helps round out the company’s offerings for SMEs.”
Concentric is offering four Hosted Exchange mailbox types, and
customers can mix and match mailbox types depending on their specific
requirements.
— Web Exchange. Web Exchange is an affordable offering that provides
Microsoft Exchange features via the browser-based Outlook Web Access
for $7.95 per user, per month. Other features include global address
list, group calendars, tasks and task delegation, public folders, junk
e-mail and virus filtering, and e-mail aliases.
— Exchange Value. Exchange Value includes all the features listed above
plus a full Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI)
Exchange mailbox with Microsoft Outlook integration and offline
address book for $9.95 per user, per month.
— Exchange Professional. Exchange Professional includes all the features
in Exchange Value with 1 GB of mail storage space per user for $13.95
per user, per month.
— Exchange Executive. Exchange Executive includes all the features in
Exchange Professional plus free premium junk e-mail filter and
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and Outlook Mobile Access, and 2 GB of
mail storage space per user for $19.95 per user, per month (a savings
of $2.95 per month).
The Concentric Hosted Exchange e-mail packages will be available
starting July 15, 2008. More information can be found at
http://www.concentric.com/hosted_exchange.php.
About Concentric
Concentric, founded in 1997, is a business unit of XO Communications.
Concentric provides enterprise-class hosted applications, including Web
site hosting, business email, corporate domain management and perimeter
email protection. Concentric delivers superior performance, reliability,
and security and is the only Web hosting service to hold a patent for its
Clustered Hosting architecture. Concentric accounts are backed by a three
month Satisfaction Guarantee, 24×7 customer support, and a 99.9% SLA. For
more information, visit http://www.concentric.com or call (866) 500-9696.
About XO Communications
XO Communications, a subsidiary of XO Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: XOHO), is a leading provider of 21st century communications services
for businesses and communications services providers, including 50 percent
of the Fortune 500 and leading cable companies, carriers, content
providers, and mobile operators. Utilizing its unique and powerful
nationwide IP network and extensive local metro networks and broadband
wireless facilities, XO offers customers a broad range of managed voice,
data and IP services in 75 metropolitan markets across the United States.
For more information, visit http://www.xo.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize
their full potential.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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