New Voice Solutions from Siemens Enterprise Communications Provide 'Built-In' UC Features to Drive Cost Savings, Productivity and Collaboration

RESTON, Va., Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A new range of IP-based, software-driven enterprise voice and unified communications (UC) solutions announced today by Siemens Enterprise Communications aims to make mid and large-sized customers more competitive and efficient by embedding essential UC features at the same licensing price-point as voice-only solutions.

With these new solutions, users can benefit from in-house multi-party audio conferencing, unified messaging and UC productivity tools in one integrated voice solution. Two key OpenScape offerings are being announced, as well as innovative new deployment options and products for new and existing HiPath customers:

• OpenScape UC Server Enterprise, an integrated voice and UC software solution for the same licensing price as voice, aimed at larger enterprises – but deployable with a single server as a practical starting point for departmental or site-based migrations, as well as highly scalable and redundant multi-server configurations.

• OpenScape UC Server Xpress, a streamlined, packaged voice, UC conferencing and entry-level contact center solution optimized for mid-market customers from 350 to 1,000 users, which is pre-configured and pre-staged for ease of installation through Siemens Enterprise Communication's global network of reseller partners. It also offers a simple upgrade path.

• HiPath 4000 Evolution, which includes new software and data center deployment options for migration to converged IP-telephony, as well as upcoming "IT-ready" rack mountable hardware chassis known as HiPath Access for running gateways and modules.  

Unlike UC offerings that add-on voice capabilities as an afterthought, the new OpenScape UC Server Enterprise and OpenScape UC Server Xpress solutions are based upon Siemens Enterprise Communications' flagship, award-winning OpenScape Voice, OpenScape UC Server and OpenScape UC Suite products as a core element of the solution. Now in its fifth release, OpenScape Voice has more than 1,000,000 licensed users and is widely recognized for being the industry's first SIP-based, carrier-grade software application – providing IP-telephony services scalable up to 100,000 users.

Because the new offerings are delivered as integrated and packaged solutions, total cost of ownership, complexity and time to implement can be greatly reduced – and do not require expensive or proprietary so-called 'technology stack' prerequisites, a key tenet of Siemens Enterprise Communications' Open Communication philosophy. They can operate in virtually any existing IT or telephony environment, including IP telephony or legacy PBX telephony environments from Siemens Enterprise Communications, or any other vendor.

Meanwhile, enterprises can enjoy the significant cost-savings of bringing audio conferencing in-house (avoiding payments to third-party conferencing service providers), as well as the productivity benefits such as unified messaging, user presence and one-number services – all running with the industry leading OpenScape Voice telephony platform.  

"IP telephony, audio conferencing and unified messaging continue to be top priorities for CIOs, with up to 93 percent of CIOs reporting these technologies as important for increasing employee productivity, according to research we conducted recently," said Elka Popova, Program Director, Unified Communications and Collaboration for leading analyst firm Frost and Sullivan. "In a solution like OpenScape UC Server Enterprise, companies can leverage these technologies in a cohesive package that lowers costs and provides the enterprise-grade features that help them stay effective and competitive."

Also as part of this announcement, the new HiPath 4000 Evolution brings a new software-based abstraction of the HiPath 4000 converged-IP system, running within a Linux operating system on an industry standard server, enabling new and existing customers to migrate to a more data center and IT-centric approach to telephony system deployment while still maintaining support for traditional TDM and analog resources and devices. And, the new, upcoming HiPath Access rack mountable hardware chassis provides further cost and ease of deployment of gateways and modules in an IT or data center setting.

"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," says Chris Hummel, President, North America and CMO of Siemens Enterprise Communications. "Delivering on these initiatives, today's announcement provides further innovation on these technologies, making it faster and easier for enterprises to migrate to next-generation communication solutions, and do so with a lower overall cost of ownership – helping them improve their business processes and become more competitive in the marketplace."

OpenScape UC Server Enterprise and OpenScape UC Server Xpress will be available from Siemens Enterprise Communications during the first quarter of 2011, with HiPath 4000 Evolution coming available by mid-2011. For more information on OpenScape UC Server, please visit: http://www.siemens-enterprise.com/

Additional Resources

OpenScape UC Server Enterprise

OpenScape UC Server Xpress

HiPath 4000 Evolution

OpenScape UC Server Enterprise Slides

OpenScape UC Server Whitepaper

Siemens on Twitter

Siemens on LinkedIn

About Siemens Enterprise Communications

Siemens Enterprise Communications is a premier provider of end-to-end enterprise communications, including voice, network infrastructure and security solutions that use open, standards-based architectures to unify communications and business applications for a seamless collaboration experience. This award-winning "Open Communications" approach enables organizations to improve productivity and reduce costs through easy-to-deploy solutions that work within existing IT environments, delivering operational efficiencies. It is the foundation for the company's OpenPath® commitment that enables customers to mitigate risk and cost-effectively adopt unified communications. Jointly owned by The Gores Group and Siemens AG, Siemens Enterprise Communications companies include Siemens Enterprise Communications, Cycos, and Enterasys Networks.

For more information about the Siemens Enterprise Communications or Enterasys please visit www.siemens-enterprise.com or www.enterasys.com

Note: Siemens Enterprise Communications & Co K.G. is a trademark licensee of Siemens AG. HiPath, OpenOffice, OpenScape and OpenStage, are registered trademarks of Siemens Enterprise Communications & Co K.G. or its affiliates. All other company, brand, product and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of Siemens' management. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "forecast," "expect," "intend," "plan," "should," and "project" are used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to be materially different, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Siemens Enterprise Communications