Switch’s cloud communications platform now plays nice with Microsoft Office 365

Switch Communications came out in January as a cloud communications platform that works well in businesses that use the Google suite of productivity products.

But the company now says its platform integrates well with all productivity suites, including Office 365.

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“It’s a significant departure for the team that created Google Voice and launched Switch as ‘the business phone for Google Apps’ in January to offer a Microsoft integration,” a Switch spokesperson said.

Indeed, CEO Craig Walker and many of the Switch people left Google to form the company.

“Google created this cloud category, was an early innovator, but Microsoft has quickly closed the gap, so it only makes sense that we would build a product that supports those users as well,” Walker said in an email to VentureBeat. “This is a two-horse race; we want to enable all businesses to use Switch.”

Switch said a large proportion of its inquiries have been from companies using the Microsoft productivity suite.

Microsoft has its own cloud communications platform in Lync, but Switch said there’s still a market for its platform with small business customers.

More specifically, Switch will exchange data with Outlook mail, Outlook calendar, and LinkedIn. Office 365 users will be able to log into Switch with their Microsoft credentials. Switch users will also be able to see their most recent shared emails and appointments when on a Switch call.

Switch costs $15 per user per month.

Switch Communications is funded by Amasia, Andreessen Horowitz, Felicis Ventures, Google Ventures, Softbank, and Work-Bench.

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