KazakhTelecom launches Skype's competitor

Kazakhstan's telecommunication company KazakhTelecom is introducing Microsoft Lync, chairman of the company Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev said in an onlilne-conference at Tengrinews.kz. The service offers functions of popular Skype client. According to him, the provider is currently working on launching the communication service to enable its users to talk to each other online. Just like Skype, the service uses different types of communications, like instant messaging, video and audio connections, conferences and file transfer. Besides, Microsoft Lync allows remote connection to a counterpart’s desktop. As opposed to Skype, the Microsoft's service is paid. Yessekeyev stated that sales of the communication client will start in the end of 2012. Its cost in Kazakhstan is not yet known. But abroad the software costs around $250. The program is expected to be of interest to the corporate sector of Kazakhstan. Besides, Yessekeyev added that KazakhTelecom was emphasizing implementation of cloud technologies in Kazakhstan. “Lowering capital expenditures is one of the main advantages. This makes the use of the innovative services more feasible than buying licenses and servers. Besides, starting from October 1, 2012 we will be offering Microsoft Hosted Exchange and Microsoft Hosted SharePoint in pilot mode. Each user will be able to use these services for up to 7 days free of charge,” Yessekeyev said. Storage of 1Mb in the cloud service of Microsoft Hosted Exchange costs from 400 tenge ($2.7).