Siemens touts deeper collaboration with OpenScape updates

Siemens Enterprise Communications has unveiled new applications for its collaboration platform designed to help enterprises take advantage of unified communications (UC).

OpenScape UC Suite 2011 is designed to make multimedia collaboration more affordable and easier to deploy for businesses of all sizes, offering secure and reliable collaboration, mobility and video, the firm said.

Chief among the new applications is OpenScape Web Collaboration, which offers enhanced multimedia collaboration and productivity capabilities while reducing communication costs, according to Siemens.

"OpenScape Web Collaboration does not require any installation on an end-user device, so staff can access the tool from any location," said Kathy Heilmann, director of marketing for unified collaboration solutions at Siemens Enterprise Communications.

"It also requires no previous technology to be installed in an enterprise's IT system, so it is easy to install and run, requires no configuration, and can be installed in under an hour on to a server by IT staff."

The application takes advantage of technology from FastViewer, a company Siemens acquired last week, and allows workers to share a range of content, including video, text and files, in a multi-party environment.

"Web Collaboration aims to combine the ease of use of consumer IT services from the likes of Google and Skype with enterprise-grade security and reliability, but with reduced cost and management factors," said Heilmann.

A PhoneApps tool, meanwhile, provides up to 20 applications that can be installed on Siemens' deskphones, as well as a toolkit to allow IT staff to build and roll out unique apps for their own needs.

Other OpenScape applications have been updated, including the OpenScape Video Portfolio which now offers integration and unification with video systems from Siemens partners Polycom, Tandberg and Lifesize.

Video Portfolio has also been made compatible with H.264 high-definition video, and customers can now talk with users on end-points from the aforementioned partners through peripheral video devices.

OpenScape Mobility has been updated to enable customers to run applications on the iPhone and iPad.

All the applications are available from December except PhoneApps, which is due in February 2011. Pricing is likely to be on a case-by-case basis.