Siemens Enterprise Communications announced a unified communications application suite with HiPath 3000 software upgrades targeted to help the small and midsize businesses address communications costs. The company followed its SMB announcement with similar news about upgraded UC and video features for the mid-to-large tier customers on its HiPath 4000.

Siemen's OpenScape Office UC application suite, now delivered on its HiPath 3000, comes with presence-enabled contact center features. Siemens OpenScape Office UC application was first introduced on the HiPath OpenOffice ME last year and targeted to serve 20 to 150 workers; the upgrades will expand capacity to serve as many as 384 users. Key features include: integrated presence; contact center functionality including call routing capability; autoattendant and call journal; and mobility features designed facilitate work and collaborate whether at the office or a remote location. Siemens has also developed an online costs calculator to help SMBs understand the cost benefit of UC.

Siemens also announced more upgrades with the availability of HiPath 4000 V5, its converged communication solution for medium and large enterprises. The  release includes support for video integration and OpenScape Xpressions, an "all-in-one, easy to deploy UC solution," according to the company. HiPath 4000 also has a new software application, the HiPath 4000 SoftGate" designed to manage Cornet-IP and Session Initiation Protocol-based IPT deployments throughout the enterprise,  including small branch offices. The features help conserve bandwidth by separating signaling and payload.

Both the HiPath 3000 and Hi Path 4000 platforms operate across IP and TDM environments, providing customers with more migration flexibility.

Siemens Enterprise Communications Group Group is a joint venture between the private equity firm, The Gores Group and Siemens AG, and incorporates Siemens Enterprise Communications, Enterasys Networks, SER Solutions, Cycos and iSEC.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Larry Hettick is a principal analyst at Current Analysis.