At work, we have implemented Live Communication Server 2005 (LCS). I recently got a new smartphone (HTC MteoR) and decided to check out the mobile client for LCS, Communicator Mobile. It is a free download from the Microsoft site and can be found here. I downloaded the client for Windows Mobile 5.0 for SmartPhones.

The installation is like any other application you install on a SmartPhone but because the msi package checks the version of ActiveSync, installation fails on Windows Vista. I am running Windows Vista RC2 with Windows Mobile Device Center so I needed to install Office Communicator Mobile from an XP box with ActiveSync 4.1.

At present, LCS is only reachable on our internal network so I needed a VPN connection to get to the server. I configured a VPN connection that connects from "The Internet" to "Work". Because you cannot tell Office Communicator Mobile to connect using the VPN connection, you need to configure the LCS server name by using the short NetBIOS name and not the FQDN. In that case, the SmartPhone will use the VPN connection automatically because a short name requires a connection to the "Work" network.

After installation of the client, a different homescreen is installed that includes your Office Communicator status. If you use software like Facade, you will have to reconfigure it for the new homescreen. Below you see a screenshot of the new homescreen with a section for Office Communicator at the bottom and Facade at the top (launch bar and calendar/tasks).

The Office Communicator mobile client looks like this:

Of course, unless you like to chat using the telephone keys, I don't think it is very useful to have an LCS client on a mobile phone. Obviously, a device like the HTC TyTN is better suited. In the past, we have had customers asking us for such a solution. In the days of LCS 2003, something like a mobile version of Windows Messenger was not available. With LCS 2005 however, you can connect from all Windows-based devices.