Area Development
Microsoft GmbH, a European subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, has opened a development center in Zurich, Switzerland, that will focus on software for the internet telephony technology Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP). The company says that the area's proximity to world-class universities and a well-educated work force were the decisive factors in choosing to expand there. Erich Gebhardt, the center director, says he expects to grow his staff to approximately 200 from the current 45. "Software made in Switzerland is a reality with great quality," he says. "We firmly believe that Zurich will become one of the top addresses for VoIP companies in the world in the next five years."