Microsoft and Softbank will VoIP in Japan

Microsoft, Softbank and Japan Telecom announced strategic alliance to offer internet phone service along with email, internet access, instant messaging and more to the Japanese telephone consumers.

Japan Telecom is Japan's largest internet telephone provider and its new cooperative venture here will offer small and mid size businesses an enterprise class internet telephony through its high quality networking infrastructure.

The plans are to begin implementations of these internet phone services in the spring of 2006.