I’ve already blogged about the Windows Live Custom Domains system before but I never knew until recently that Microsoft also has a Windows Live Education Program for colleges and universities that they can signup for to use the Windows Live Custom Domain System, here’s a bit about it:

Connect your campus like never before!

Connect your college or university campus with free hosted e-mail from MSN®. Provide all of your students and alumni with free e-mail accounts that potentially never expire, featuring a custom domain name selected by your institution. You and Microsoft® can bring your school the same e-mail, messaging, and collaborative services that a global network of millions of people already successfully utilise.

Program Includes:

HOSTED E-MAIL
Windows Live Mail® hosts over 200 million active accounts. And for good reason. E-mail enthusiasts know that MSN provides them with a highly reliable e-mail service and great features, including large storage capacity, junk e-mail filtering, and anti-virus protection tools. And our combined Calendar is great for keeping students on schedule.

Windows Live MESSENGER
Using Windows Live Messenger students can study together and connect with friends, family and professors through Voice and Video Conversation3. Seamless search makes studying a snap. Students can keep in touch with classmates and family, and even form study groups, online.

MSN SPACES
Every student gets a personal MSN Space online to post blogs, pictures, favourite links, and more. A great way to stay networked with friends, family, and colleagues.

MSN MOBILE
Students can check e-mail, send and receive instant messages and even upload pictures and blog postings to their Spaces from an e-mail-enabled mobile device.4

MSN ALERTS
Send students and alumni special alerts, such as school news, class updates, student union info and even scores for college sports.

SAFETY & SECURITY
The Windows Live @ edu Program offers anti-virus protection tools and junk e-mail filters to help protect against viruses and unwanted e-mail. Students can even filter e-mail into different categories, such as family, school, spring break, etc. Windows Live Mail anti-virus protection tools help protect against worms and lets users choose from several levels of security.

Windows Live @ edu demo
PLAY IT (low bandwidth) (high bandwidth)

Via: http://www.imagine-wl.com/education/