Last week, Siemens Enterprise Communications Group (SEN) announced the availability of the company’s latest release of OpenScape Voice – Version 4.0. For those not familiar with OpenScape Voice, it is Siemens communications platform that is the core of their PBX, UC, UM and Contact Center offerings. As part of OpenScape UC Server, it provides enterprise grade voice services, carrier grade scalability and reliability, IP least-cost routing, video conferencing, mobility, unified messaging and role-based UC applications. Based on a native IP-based software platform (SIP), OpenScape Voice utilizes SEN Group’s unified OpenSOA applications framework.
In this release, Siemens improved the platform including adding forty new features. For example, they introduced a new team working and executive assistant application, which helps to streamline the management of executive calls with support of one or more assistants, and provides multiple call handling options for voicemail and mobility. This V4 release also includes two new capabilities – OpenScape Branch and OpenScape Concierge.
OpenScape Branch is just what it sounds like; a voice solution for customers with multiple branch offices that want the functionality of larger enterprises across their branch offices. It is scalable in 50, 250, 1000, and 6000 user variants. It’s a single box solution with an integrated gateway and analog adapter for smaller remote branches. It also has integrated management with OpenScape Voice. OpenScape branch includes a SIP Proxy for survivability, and a Session Border Controller (SBC) for local SIP trunking connections. It also provides streamlined management through a common portal for simple installation and integration.
According to Siemens, OpenScape Concierge is the industry’s first true unified communications (UC) Attendant Console application. OpenScape Concierge provides telephone attendants (such as switchboard operators) with the same UC desktop functions that other UC users have, including real-time UC-based presence status information for contacts across both OpenScape Voice and HiPath 4000 systems. It provides the user with detailed data on incoming customer calls, and also supports call queue and corporate directory integration, so that telephone attendants can more easily direct incoming calls to anyone in the organization.
With OpenScape Voice Siemens has delivered on the trends that we have been seeing in the industry in the past 5 years. Besides being software based, making it simple to manage, install and upgrade, OpenScape was designed to be green. Siemens maintains that OpenScape provides the lowest carbon footprint and lowest power-cost per user in the industry. They also maintain that it provides the lowest TCO and best ROI as well. I’m not in the position to comment as to whether or not this is true – just reporting on intent. Siemens is also positioning OpenScape Voice along the lines of some recent trends – “cloud and social-media ready”. The later we saw demonstrated at VoiceCon in the fall with Twitter integration.
In all I like the consistency of what I am seeing with Siemens. Eighteen months ago we saw the emergence of the change from proprietary hardware and software to open, standards-based software and services, moving away from the TDM-based HiCom and VoIP-based HiPath platforms, and each announcement after that has built on those principals, along with delivering industry par or leading applications and functionality as well.