Microsoft buys into VoIP Teleo sells to Microsoft

31 August 2005 21:02 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Microsoft has bought VoIP specialist Teleo for an undisclosed sum today as it steps into the internet telecommunications world.

The move which will mean it keeps apace with companies such as Google and Skype means that we can expect greater intergration of VoIP services within Microsoft products like Outlook and MSN messenger in the coming months.

It's going to be very exciting to see Teleo software extended into MSN products and services that millions of consumers worldwide rely upon every day for their information and communication needs,' said Wendell Brown, co-founder of Teleo. 'The union of our respective technologies and talents has the potential to deliver great value to customers.'

A statement on the Teleo site even goes as far as saying:

"Microsoft plans to incorporate and expand upon Teleo's technologies, integrating them into the MSN services infrastructure, with plans to ultimately deliver new VoIP consumer applications in future releases of MSN services, such as MSN Messenger."

Ultimately the move means that whenever you see a telephone number in a Microsoft software package, you will be able to call it using a VoIP service now powered by Microsoft rather than the company having to do a deal with Skype or Google.