Microsoft To Add VoIP To Windows CE .Net

The new technology is part of Microsoft's strategy to provide a platform for realtime communications through integration with Greenwich, the code name of Microsoft's upcoming Real-Time Communications (RTC) server, said Todd Warren, general manager of Microsoft's Embedded and Appliance Platforms Group, during a keynote address at the Spring VON 2003 conference here.

"We're developing a platform for building a comprehensive client/server platform for voice and data convergence on any IP-connected device," Warren said.

New voice functionality in Windows CE .Net 4.2, scheduled to become available this quarter, includes a customizable, graphical dialing interface; a VoIP Application Interface Layer, development suite and API layer based on realtime communication and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), an emerging call control standard; and integration with Microsoft enterprise infrastructure.

Microsoft also announced silicon and OEM partners for the new OS version and demonstrated devices from those partners at VON. Manufacturers include BCM Computers, Casio Computer, Hitachi, NEC Infrontia, Samsung Electronics, Symbol Technologies and Tatung. Silicon vendors--including Advanced Micro Devices, ARM, Broadcom, Conexant Systems, Intel, MIPS Technologies and Texas Instruments--are optimizing their CPUs and building reference designs for VoIP devices running Windows CE .Net.

Devices demonstrated at the show included a bar-code scanner with walkie-talkie capabilities from Symbol, a full-screen IP phone from Samsung and an IP phone from Broadcom that has integrated echo-cancellation software.