Hartford, CT. -March 8, 2005- Travel Sciences, Inc., a high technology company focused on software based travel industry solutions, announced that it was selected as one of Microsoft’s beta participants in a new technology platform initiative previously code named “Istanbul” and publicly announced today as Microsoft Office Communicator 2005. Microsoft Office Communicator is a leading edge technology that provides a unified Internet Protocol (IP) based communications platform capable of enabling multi-modal applications and interoperable communications environments.

According to Joe Mazzarella, President of Travel Sciences, “our participation in Istanbul is a great accomplishment for our company, and demonstrates that we continue to be thought and creativity leaders within our sector. Our intention is to use the new technology platform to power a whole array of interoperable and multi-modal application sets that will be transforming at the user interface layer.” Microsoft Office Communicator integrates IM, voice, video, telephony and Web conferencing capabilities into a single interface and makes them accessible in Microsoft's Office applications.

Communicator serves as the preferred client for Office Live Communications Server (LCS) 2005, which streamlines business communication and is the core of Microsoft's real-time collaboration vision. With Communicator, users have access to presence features that rout incoming messages based on a schedule, or offer additional availability data such as the next available meeting.

"Users now can view rich presence information for colleagues, partners and customers; select the most efficient mode of communication, whether it's IM, a phone call, a Web conference or e-mail; and instantly share ideas and information," said Jeff Raikes, group vice president of the Information Worker Group at Microsoft.

To break down the barrier between businesses using different IM networks, Microsoft has developed a public instant messaging connectivity (PIC) add-on to LCS 2005. The pack, which is offered on a paid subscription basis, connects MSN, AOL and Yahoo IM networks from within Istanbul.

Travel Sciences believes that for the travel industry sector, which typically involves significant interactive content and real time information transactions between suppliers and customers, LCS offers a whole new dynamic through which collaborative oriented business to consumer environments can be created.

Travel Sciences believes that for the travel industry sector, which typically involves significant interactive content and real time information transactions between suppliers and customers, LCS offers a whole new dynamic through which collaborative oriented business to consumer environments can be created.

For More Information on Travel Sciences please call:
860-543-6060

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