Sizeable headcount expansion is also in the offing at Microsoft’s Global Tech Support Centre in Bangalore. In fact, Microsoft Global Tech Support and Microsoft IDC-Hyderabad are likely to account for the bulk of the expansion. During his recent tour, Mr Gates had announced that Microsoft would add 3,000 employees in four years across its multiple technical support facilities in the country.
The Hyderabad team will work across the company’s seven core business lines. They will be involved in the upcoming global rollout of a slew of new products, alongside the new versions of the existing software. Over the next six months, Microsoft will reinforce the seven core business lines handled by the Hyderabad IDC, which directly reports to the company’s global headquarter in Redmond. The Hyderabad team executes global projects in areas such as Windows Client, Windows Server, Microsoft Office, Microsoft mobility & embedded devices, MS home and entertainment division and Microsoft Dynamics Platform for SMBs, company sources said.
The manpower expansion comes at a time when Microsoft has indicated that it plans to ship its new Windows Server release, codenamed R2, in the latter half of 2005-06. While analysts felt Windows Server R2 would have new features and functionality, it won’t be too different from the older versions such as Windows Server S-2003, they said.
The company will release a conversion tool that will allow Office users to point to files in an older format and convert them en masse to the new Office12 XML format.
