Microsoft Corp and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd on Tuesday announced plans to advance their strategic alliance to deliver IT solutions to global companies more effectively, said a joint media release.
As part of this ongoing alliance, Microsoft and TCS plan to collaborate on several key initiatives, including implementation of the Microsoft Connected Services Framework with telecommunications providers.
"We are extremely pleased to extend our long-standing collaboration with Microsoft to jointly provide leading-edge solutions such as Microsoft Connected Services Framework to the telecommunications industry," said Anita Nanadikar, global head of e-business technologies at TCS, in the press release.
"Our efforts together on Connected Services Framework mark the latest step in the global systems integration alliance between TCS and Microsoft, one that will bring greater value to our customers," said Nanadikar, who is responsible for the Microsoft alliance at TCS.
Microsoft Connected Services Framework is an integrated, server-based software solution that allows telecommunications operators and service providers to create, aggregate and provision converged communications services across multiple networks and a range of device types.
The Connected Services Framework can help wireless and wireline operators reduce the cost and time of service deployment, more efficiently utilize existing infrastructure and generate additional revenue through new services.
A Microsoft global systems integrator, TCS has collaborated with Microsoft to implement large-scale, complex enterprise information technology (IT) systems for customers on a worldwide basis.
TCS and Microsoft are already achieving early success in deploying Connected Services Framework with major service providers. TCS and Microsoft Consulting Services are working together to deliver an integrated IT solution to BT Retail, to help enable BT Retail to roll out affordable and easy-to-use Web-based services to small businesses.
"TCS is investing heavily in the infrastructure and resources to deliver solutions including Microsoft Connected Services Framework to telecommunications customers such as BT Retail," said A S Lakshminarayanan, vice president and country manager for the United Kingdom and Ireland at TCS.
In addition to the facilities in the US, TCS has established a dedicated Microsoft Solutions Center in Hungary to provide rapid, localised response and expertise to customers in the Europe, Middle East and Africa market.
TCS also foresees a substantial number of opportunities in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region around Connected Services Framework.
"The combination of Microsoft's platform innovation and TCS' global software delivery model represents a win-win for our customers," said Maria Martinez, corporate vice president for the Communications Sector at Microsoft, in the press release.
"The solutions we are providing together, such as Microsoft Connected Services Framework, help our customers speed time to market for new services, reduce deployment and ongoing operational costs and recognise operational efficiencies -- all critical elements in gaining the edge in today's highly competitive environment."