Asterisk open source company "not worried" about Microsoft patent heat

Ever since the "patent infringement" hissing and dissing match between Microsoft and the open source community flared up earlier this week, I've been wondering how Asterisk open source solution providers are looking at this issue.

True, none of the 236 open source patents Microsoft is claiming infringement upon directly relate to voice. But as Microsoft pursues voice solutions integrated with Microsoft's Live Communications Server, it is a relevant question to ask if any of the branded Asterisk open source voice companies are starting to wonder if they may be targeted next.

For a sense of where these controversies may be headed,  I spoke earlier today with Bill Miller, vice-president of product management and marketing for Digium, Inc. They co-brand themselves as "The Asterisk Company."

What Bill told me might surprise you.

"We're not really worried about them," Bill told me, obviously referring to Microsoft. "We think they are more interested in OS and application issues that appeal to their core constituencies.

"Obviously I track everything they do, but because they are so late to the voice market, there's nothing (in the Microsoft volley at open source) that concerns us," Bill added.

Then I asked Bill if voice applications associated with Microsoft's Live Communications Server could be a source of patent disputes in the future.

Bill told me he thinks Microsoft will "probably apply for patents there," but he believes that Microsoft will be focusing their voice-oriented products and solutions on larger enterprises currently served by solution providers such as Cisco and Avaya."

I think Bill is mostly right, but I do sense a competitive move on the part of Microsoft to spread Live Communications Server to some of the SMB sectors that do not have VoIP due to general FUD, as well as practical cost-related and lack-of-expertise factors.

That's the same niche the managed Asterisk offerings are targeting.

If managed Asterisk and voice-enabled LCS meet on the SMB killing fields, then that's when things will get interesting.