By Charlene O'Hanlon

Siemens Enterprise Communications has updated elements of its unified communications offering and introduced Web collaboration capabilities in a simple-to-use, yet rich multimedia UC environment.

The companys OpenScape UC Suite 2011 combines unified communications, mobility, desktop videoconferencing, Web collaboration and customizable phone applications to deliver a full-fledged, end-to-end UC system that has all the bells and whistles of proprietary systems without the cost and complexity, said Ross Sedgewick, senior director of marketing for Large Enterprise Solutions at Siemens Enterprise Communications.

Collaboration solutions typically have been adopted by companies with deep pockets and sophisticated IT strategy. With this offering, we have positioned the opportunity for mainstream enterprise and organizations to adopt consumerized rich multimedia collaboration without the complexity and expense of higher-end systems,” he said. This is accessible and easy to use with minimal IT prerequisites and all the functionality of an enterprise-grade solution.”

OpenScape UC Suite 2011 includes updated versions of the companys OpenScape UC, OpenScape Mobility and OpenScape Video applications, as well as a new OpenScape Web Collaboration application and OpenScape PhoneApps development application.

OpenScape Web Collaboration, the cornerstone of OpenScape UC Suite 2011, is an enterprise-grade Web conferencing solution providing one-click multimedia collaboration. It installs quickly on a Windows-based server, reducing infrastructure costs, and enables users to move seamlessly between Web, chat and multi-party desktop video conferencing with a single mouse click.

We always had web-conference capability but we always relied on our partners and integration with Web conferencing and collaboration companies,” Sedgewick said. We wanted to capture a more integrated solution and bring it to market ourselves to capitalize on a mainstream opportunity in Web conferencing and mobility, and do something different than whats out there today.

Our motivation was to capture the characteristics of a consumer point solution with enterprise grade security and bring to our clients. That, we believe, is an untapped opportunity this fits a niche in the market a mainstream opportunity from smaller to midmarket and even large enterprise,” he said.

Also new to OpenScape UC Suite 2011 is OpenScape PhoneApps, which includes packaged productivity and collaboration applications as well as the means to develop custom applications for Siemens OpenStage phones.

The updated version of OpenScape UC includes a soft client with multi-party desktop video conferencing and support for Polycom, Lifesize, and Tandberg systems, and VMWare virtualization support.

OpenScape Video now includes expanded integration and dialing plan unification with Polycom, Tandberg and Lifesize systems, and features interoperable standards-based HD (H.264) videoconferencing at the OpenScape desktop client.

OpenScape Mobility, meanwhile, now integrates with the iPad and iPhone as well as existing fixed-mobile convergence, WLAN and mobile UC solutions.

For reseller partners this is an opportunity to embrace a whole category of solutions without the complexity and proprietary training,” Sedgewick said. Another key point is were not trying to thread a needle with just Siemens customers the reseller can target any company that is looking for rich advanced multimedia solution with no strings attached. This solution can go into any existing environment.”

OpenScape UC Suite 2011 includes plug-ins for Microsoft Exchange and Outlook and IBM Groupware environments, giving channel partners a broad addressable market, Sedgewick noted. They dont have to be narrowcasted into a particular market.”

The updated OpenScape applications and the OpenScape Web Collaboration application will be available in December; the PhoneApps application will be available in February 2011. Licensing cost is about $12,870 and includes 10 simultaneous meeting rooms and unlimited participants.