Network World (US) reports that Nortel's bankruptcy filing could spell trouble for its unified communications deal with Microsoft.
A bit like voice recognition and voice to text transcription, unified comms have remained it that strange limbo of a technology about to hit the big time for years.
The Network World article says that last November, the two companies claimed their four-year Innovative Communications Alliance (ICA) formed in 2006 was solid and intact. ICA is a plan to develop, sell and roll out unified communications and VoIP technology to corporate customers.
November's assurances came after Nortel had announced a US$3.4 billion loss. With last Wednesday's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, Canada and Europe, the deal looks dead in the water because product development is hardly top of the list of priorities for an organisation fighting for its life.
Furthermore corporate VoIP makes up the biggest part of Nortel's installed customer base, which is likely to be snapped up by a buyer see Nortel: Who will buy‾
Microsoft has declined to comment on the situation - perhaps it's busy looking for its cheque book‾