Microsoft Launches Beta Program for Microsoft Office Live Services

Internet-based services include free Web site, domain name and e-mail accounts.

Microsoft today announced the beta availability of Microsoft Office Live, offering small-business customers a cost-free opportunity to experience the company’s new Internet-based software services firsthand. A milestone for the online services previewed last fall, Microsoft Office Live combines the power of software and services to deliver rich and seamless experiences to small companies that want a presence online.

Microsoft Office Live helps lower the barriers to doing business online by offering small companies a set of Internet-based business services. Designed for ease of use and affordability, the online services are designed to give small businesses the same advantages as larger enterprises by getting them up and running on the Internet quickly, easily and inexpensively.

“The Internet is crucial to running a successful business today, and companies that don’t have at least an online presence risk missing out,” said Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division. “With Microsoft Office Live, we are making online services available for small businesses to create an enterprise-like IT infrastructure for them without the management requirements. Our goal is to make it easy and affordable for small businesses to have a more customizable Internet-based solution.”

Microsoft plans to offer Office Live offerings that will range from free domain name, Web site and company e-mail accounts that are advertising-supported to more comprehensible services available on a subscription-fee basis. The offerings can be especially attractive to companies with 10 or fewer employees, which typically lack in-house technical resources or the budget to keep an IT person on staff.

Microsoft Office Live Basics, Microsoft Office Live Essentials and Microsoft Office Live Collaboration are being offered free of charge to customers during the beta program. Customers interested in participating in the beta program are invited to register online at http://www.OfficeLive.com.