Oracle looks to extend the capabilities of its CRM (customer relationship management) software through the purchase of Telephony@Work, which the acquisition-hungry vendor announced Tuesday.

Telephony@Work provides multichannel Internet Protocol-based technology for contact centers and Oracle is looking to combine that capability with its CRM offerings.

Oracle aims to provide all the software needed to support an interaction between a customer and call-center agent from the initial contact via phone, e-mail or other communication means, to logging the call in a CRM system.

Oracle intends to integrate Technology@Work's products with all of its CRM applications, including Oracle E-Business Suite, its on-premise and on-demand Siebel software, PeopleSoft Enterprise and Oracle Business Intelligence Suite. Oracle didn't provide a timeline for when it expects to complete the integration and deliver a combined product. Telephony@Work already provides the telephony platform for Oracle's Siebel Contact On Demand providing that CRM offering with hosted contact center functionality.

Being able to purchase a combined contact center and CRM offering should allow customers to get their call centers up and running more quickly without having to spend time on integrating the two previously stand-alone technologies, Oracle said.

Over recent years, Oracle has acquired companies of all sizes to expand its business applications presence, whether through the multibillion dollar purchases of PeopleSoft and Siebel or smaller spends on companies like retail software vendors Retek and ProfitLogic.

Oracle didn't disclose the financial details of its acquisition of Telephony@Work.

Founded in 1997, Telephony@Work employs 77 staff and has its headquarters in California. Its customers include ABN-AMRO Mortgage Group, the U.S. State of Wisconsin and Raytheon Aerospace.