In keeping with its drive to become the de facto communications engine for businesses, Nortel Networks is teaming up with IBM Corp. to build voice connectivity into a Big Blue server and messaging client. The Toronto communication equipment provider announced that IBM's System i would soon be available with on-board IP-PBX functions, including voice mail and unified messaging, which users would access through the Lotus Sametime instant messaging and Web conferencing application. According to Nortel's Lori McLean, general manager of the Nortel-IBM alliance, by early next year the System i Unified Communications platform, meant for small and mid-sized businesses, would also sport video calling features, presence and online whiteboarding. McLean said IBM's messaging systems are installed on nearly half of the world's computers; the other half run applications from Microsoft Corp. Between its IBM alliance and its Microsoft alliance, Nortel could access 90% of the market, McLean said.

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