* Siemens aims to provide easy starting point for unified communications
Siemens Communications announced Tuesday several updates to its OpenScape unified communications portfolio. The first upgrade is targeted at providing an easy starting point for unified communications with a new OpenScape VoiceLink solution that enables Microsoft’s Office Communicator client at the desktop. With the enhancement, the SIP-enabled version of OpenScape VoiceLink now supports the Siemens’ HiPath 8000 IP softswitch.
The second update is a new release of OpenScape Enterprise that provides a new toolbar desktop client for Windows. The unique toolbar client allows users to access “multimedia presence, instant messaging, voice and Web conferencing while still allowing full desktop ‘real-estate’ to be allocated to line of business applications,” according to the company’s statement.
Siemens also announced enhancements to the OpenScape Systems Development Kit (SDK) that include pre-built packages targeted for financial services that use a Salesforce.com CRM application and to Life Sciences companies that need real-time access to people and information into Siebel CTMS screens.
The third element in the portfolio announcement positions OpenScape Enterprise Hosted into the ‘software as a service’ model. Siemens has worked together with Accenture and Ensim Corporation to build provisioning, billing and management software interfaces needed by service providers.
Our analysis: Siemens, like other IP telephony providers is moving forward with additional enhancements to its unified communications feature; it is continuing to further integrate with Microsoft’s features and it is making it easier for service providers to offer a hosted unified communications service. Is it just us, or does there seem to be a common industry theme over the last few months?
