Telstra kicks off SaaS with T-Suite

Telstra announced today that it will be launching its own software as a service (SaaS) platform, incorporating applications from the largest vendors as well as smaller Australian developers.

The telco revealed that it will start conducting tests of the T-Suite SaaS platform at the end of this month across a limited number of Australian businesses, with a view to launching a full service by early 2009.

Telstra Business group managing director Deena Shiff said that the new initiative will be primarily targeted at small to medium enterprises (SMEs), linking them to applications stored on a third-party server through its Next G and Next IP networks.

Telstra Business executive director, Charles Agee told ZDNet.com.au today that "most of the applications" available through T-Suite would be browser-delivered, but at this stage could not name any of the applications included in the package.

"[Telstra] can't name any of the software at this point," he said. "We're engaged with a number of local and global partners at the moment ... when negotiations are finished and Telstra is comfortable that these applications will deliver what we're after, we'll be making a number of joint announcements."

Telstra's Shiff also believes that the service will act as a "springboard" for smaller Australian developers, giving them the chance to pitch products to market by "test-bedding" certain applications in the Telstra service.

Agee could not provide any specific pricing details for T-Suite, but said that the service will be offered on a subscription basis and made available through "most of the normal channels customers use today".