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The company has teamed up with WebEx Inc, a collaborative applications company, to produce an enhanced version of AOL's Instant Messenger service which will provide improved security as well as the voice, video and web collaboration functions available through the WebEx MediaTone Network.

AOL says that the product is 'codenamed' AIM Pro, which suggests that this may not be the final brand name. It will be available in two versions. The first 'professional edition' is designed for the self employed professional and small to medium sized businesses. There will also be an enterprise strength instant messaging

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(EIM) edition that will offer centralised administrative controls for larger corporations. According to AOL, both versions of the service will work with enterprise directory services and allow users to securely chat, launch conference calls, online meetings and live demonstrations with any AIM user of AOL's Buddy Lists.

The move is another U turn for AOL's instant messaging strategy for the business user. In 2004, the company transferred its AIM Enterprise Gateway customers to IMlogic's IM Manager. Initially IM companies such as AOL and Yahoo! thought they could convince business customers to pay for a premium instant messaging service but this turned out not to be the case. Now, AOL is trying again.

If the new partnership can pull it off, the prize is huge. AOL quotes data from the Radicati Group, Inc., which estimates there are some 135 million workers who use instant messaging in companies of all sizes. That figure is projected to grow to more than 477 million by 2009. But it remains to be seen how compelling enterprise offerings from the likes of AOL can be in persuading this mass to pay for something that, by and large, they are using for free.