ARMONK, N.Y., and SAN JOSE, Calif. -- IBM and Cisco today unveiled a broad-based initiative that will help organizations of all sizes integrate and implement converged voice, video and data systems.

The new services will provide customers with a broader and more integrated portfolio of Internet Protocol (IP) Communications solutions from IBM and Cisco, yielding greater potential for cost savings and employee productivity.

The blending of Cisco's voice, video and rich-media conference solutions with IBM's expertise in global services can offer customers a convenient and cost-effective way to reap the benefits of IP Communications. The initiative extends the value of new and existing IBM and Cisco offerings to independent software vendors and service providers, who also partner with IBM and Cisco. This will ultimately give organizations and their employees the ability to access information any time, any where from any device.

"The combination of Cisco's networking expertise and technologies and IBM's strength in services and integration capabilities is a logical pairing of complementary resources for IP Communications solutions," said Kim Church, chief information officer at Preston, Gates & Ellis LLP, a Seattle, Wash.-based law firm. "Investing in Cisco and IBM to create a complete IP Communications solution has resulted in improved client service and cost savings to our organization."

IBM and Cisco believe that the three core forces driving network computing today are mobility, integration and security. The new offerings contain elements of all three and tap the strengths of both companies.

"With this announcement, Cisco and IBM are considerably increasing their investments in product and technology integration as well sales, consulting services and marketing," said Doug Elix, senior vice president and group executive, IBM Sales and Distribution. "We intend to integrate Cisco's IP Communications with IBM's integrated industry solutions. Converged communications running on intelligent networks is changing the way business is conducted and we expect both companies to be major players in that business transformation."

Cisco Systems Inc.

IBM Corp.