Siemens is offering packaged OpenScape communications offerings that include audio conferencing, unified messaging and collaboration tools for the licensing cost of a voice-only solution.
Siemens Enterprise Communications is offering new integrated unified
communications packages based on its OpenScape platform and aimed at
enterprises and midmarket businesses.
The
new IP-based packages, OpenScape UC Server Enterprise and OpenScape UC Server
Xpress, offer a host of communications technologies-including audio
conferencing, unified messaging, user presence and one-number services-in a
single offering with licensing fees the same as voice-only solutions.
The
goal is to enable businesses to more quickly move to an IP-based communications
platform that will help drive down costs but improve productivity, according to
Chris Hummel, president of North America and chief marketing officer at
Siemens. Because they are integrated packages of offerings, the new solutions
will help businesses with deployment while driving down cost of ownership, the
company said.
"We
continue to focus on innovative new ways to package, deploy and deliver the
value and competitive advantage of advanced UC, collaboration and voice
software solutions for our customers," Hummel said in a statement. The new
offering makes it "faster and easier for enterprises to migrate to
next-generation communication solutions, and do so with a lower overall cost of
ownership."
Such
a move is on the mind of many business executives, according to research firm
Frost and Sullivan. Siemens quoted Frost and Sullivan analyst Elka Popova as
noting that up to 93 percent of CIOs are saying that such capabilities as IP telephony,
audio conferencing and unified messaging are top priorities for improving
employee productivity.
OpenScape
UC Server Enterprise is an integrated voice and UC software offering for larger
enterprises that has the same licensing price as a voice solution, according to
Siemens. While targeting enterprises, the fact that it's deployable on a single
server makes it worthwhile as a starting point to a UC deployment for
departments. It also can be scaled for multi-server environments.
OpenScape
UC Server Xpress is a more streamlined offering for midmarket companies with
350 to 1,000 users. The preconfigured solution offers voice, UC conferencing
and entry-level contact center capabilities in a single package.
Along
with the integrated packages, Siemens also is unveiling HiPath 4000 Evolution,
which offers new software and data center deployment options for migrating to
converged IP telephony. In addition, officials said they will later release an
IT-ready rack-mount hardware chassis that will be called HiPath Access to be
used for more easily running gateways and modules.
HiPath
4000 Evolution essentially is a software-based abstraction of the HiPath 4000,
a converged IP system that supports Linux and runs on an industry-standard
server. It lets new and existing customers take a more data-center an
IT-centric approach to telephony systems while continuing to support their
existing traditional phone systems.
Siemens
officials have been aggressive in expanding the capabilities of its OpenScape
offering in the face of competition from the likes of Cisco Systems, Avaya,
Microsoft and IBM. In December, the company introduced a cloud-based
communications offering, OpenScape
Web Collaboration, which, officials said at the time, was designed to
enable businesses to quickly and cost-effectively launch a collaboration
session among multiple participants.
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