Siemens Enterprise Communications launched new cloud-based
unified communications solutions for both enterprise and SMB customers, as well
as a wireless cloud communications solution from Siemens subsidiary Enterasys
Networks.
“We’re entering into the cloud market with products and
offers we believe will be attractive to our channel partners,” Mark Straton,
senior vice president, global solutions marketing for Siemens, told Channel
Insider.
“We believe it will be very attractive to the channel
partners because it gives them a recurring, highly profitable revenue stream.
If you think about what’s happened over the past couple of years, that’s a very
appealing value proposition to our channel partners, and frankly to our
end-user customers,” Straton said.
For businesses of all sizes, Siemens is offering its new
OpenScape Cloud Solutions platform, a range of cloud-based unified
communications and collaboration products.
OpenScape Cloud Services, which will be sold exclusively
through the channel, combines the company’s OpenScape Voice, UC and Web
Collaboration solutions hosted in third-party data centers. Channel partners
will work with end customers to deliver services and on-site provisioning,
equipment and maintenance while connectivity and voice minutes will be provided
by carrier partners.
OpenScape Mobile UC
Client for Android allows users to seamlessly transfer calls with a swipe
gesture between devices. OpenScape Fusion for Google Apps allows the system to
integrate with the Google Apps suite.
For SMBs, Siemens is launching OpenScape Office V3. Also
available to customers only through the channel, the office suite helps mobile
workers and employees in small or branch offices stay connected.
“OpenScape Office V3 uniquely simplifies communication allowing multisite
offices to operate as one system which always allows you to know the
availability of colleagues across office locations – and the best way to reach
them,” said Sam Wood, vice president, Sales and Business Development,
Innovative Technology Group, in a statement.
The solution can support up to 500 users in a single location or up to
1,000 across multiple locations. The OpenScape LX product runs on a single
server and can support up to 500 users. The OpenScape Office MX is for smaller
offices, up to 150 users. The Office HX product is designed to help small
businesses migrate toward UC using the SMB communications platform HiPath 3000.
Enterasys Networks is launching a portfolio of products for
implementing and managing cloud-based wireless solutions with both on-premise
and hosted offerings available. Solutions available include: private cloud capabilities for deploying wireless
infrastructure, managed services for out-tasking and outsourcing wireless
network functions, and enhanced integrated wired/wireless network management capabilities.
The new product offerings come at a time Siemens is working to
develop its reseller channel in the United States, Straton told Channel Insider.
“The main program is that we’ve got the packages
predefined. They of course can define their own. We have the portals set up so
that they can private-label the portals,” he said. “We’ve taken all that
complexity away and the offer stands on its own and we’re getting good traction
with it. Also we’re starting out, and we’re starting out very focused with the
partners … as we learn things, we’ll adjust accordingly.”
Cloud Computing 
