Over the long term, Zynga also plans to build its own unified messaging service for its games network, these people said.

WSJ: The Messaging Apps Taking on Facebook, Apple

For Urban Media, if one-quarter of the businesses that use the free broadband also buy add-ons, such as phone service, calling cards and unified messaging, each building would be cash-flow positive in 18 months.

FORBES: Land Grab

For Urban Media, if a quarter of the businesses that use the free broadband also buy add-ons, such as phone service, calling cards and unified messaging, each building would be cash-flow positive in 18 months.

FORBES: Land Grab

Though e-mail been a success for Japan's NTT DoCoMo's i-Mode service, some observers are skeptical about the breadth of unified messaging's appeal.

CNN: Technology - Phone.com and Software.com plan merger to provide unified messaging

Microsoft says it will use the company's software, people and intellectual property to accelerate the delivery of its unified communications vision, a vision bringing together various technologies including e-mail, instant messaging, short message service, telephony, and Web conferencing.

FORBES

The "At Your Service" Award goes to Grand Central , for making great progress against the longstanding holy grail of unified messaging.

ENGADGET: Switched On: The 2006 Switchies -- Portable Products