Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Networking

    Siemens Touts New IP Phone Innovations

    Written by

    Paula Musich
    Published December 11, 2006
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Siemens Enterprise Communications on Dec. 11 will introduce a new line of IP phones for its IP PBXes that bring out a number of advances in user interface design.

      Siemens with the new OpenStage IP phones, which initially support the Session Initiation Protocol, claimed a number of firsts including the first desktop phone that can share information with a mobile phone using Bluetooth; first time a desktop phone can connect to both wired and wireless networks; and the first IP phone line that supports at least five different standards concurrently.

      “This is the first serious initiative to update the user interface on the phone since we moved from rotary to the push button [interface] weve had for last 30 years,” said Martin Northend, director of portfolio marketing for small and medium enterprises in Munich, Germany.

      The new OpenStage phones employ an iPod-like design to provide access to much more information on the desktop phone. That includes a touch-sensitive wheel, dubbed the TouchGuide, that provides easy access to a menu-based interface. It also includes the TouchSlider, which controls the handset, ringer and speaker phone volume. Other touch-sensitive pre-set and programmable keys speed access to popular applications such as address book, voice mail and speed dial.

      The four new models in the OpenStage family will work initially with Siemens HiPath 8000 server-based IP PBX, which is based on SIP. That support is key for the roughly 2-year-old HiPath, but it limits the appeal of the new phones, according to Brian Riggs, analyst with Current Analysis in Sterling, Va.

      /zimages/1/28571.gifTo read more about the HiPath 8000, click here.

      “Whats good about this is they are providing a broader, more modern line. The downside is there isnt a huge customer base of the HiPath 8000, especially compared to the HiPath 4000. In about six months the phones will support [Siemens proprietary] protocol stack so it will work with other existing Siemens platforms that have a wider installed base,” he said.

      With their support for Bluetooth, the OpenStage IP phones allow users to work with their Bluetooth headset, and a V.Card allows address book data to be transferred from a compatible mobile phone and the OpenStage IP phones using Bluetooth.

      That support is “fairly unique” in the industry, Riggs said. The OpenStage phones include a USB port that allows users to link to a wireless LAN using a WLAN dongle. In addition to their SIP support, the new Siemens phones support XML, WML, Java and HTML standards.

      The four new OpenStage models were designed based on significant user feedback. According to that research, most users want a personal phone book thats integrated with their desk phone as well as a high-quality speaker phone. They also want the ability to share contact information between a mobile phone and PC-based organizer software.

      “We took the best of three different worlds—the best of what users like in cell phones, in laptops or in traditional desk phones, and put that in one device,” said Al Baker, U.S. vice president of product and service management in San Jose, Calif.

      “With OpenStage you have a high quality color VGA screen or you can access what you have in your laptop. And because its Bluetooth-enabled, its a multimedia open device where you can download your own ring tones or have pictures for people associated with caller ID,” he said.

      The innovations demonstrate that Siemens Enterprise Communications at least in its research and development arm is operating in business-as-usual mode, despite the fact that its parent, Siemens AG, is working to sell the unit, said Riggs.

      “If there is one takeaway on the IP phones, the introduction of them is evidence that the Siemens R&D engine is going strong, despite the state of corporate instability. They have in fact been able to keep staff intact and keep it well funded to execute on product development initiatives like these new phones,” he said.

      The new OpenStage high-end models 60 and 80 are due in January, and the lower-end models 20 and 40 are due in March. They will start at $295.

      /zimages/1/28571.gif Check out eWEEK.coms for the latest news, views and analysis on voice over IP and telephony.

      Paula Musich
      Paula Musich

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×