Leicester chooses Siemens

Leicester College has selected Siemens Enterprise Communications to provide it with the OpenScape Unified Communications Server (OUCS) to converge its data and voice networks across three campuses, says SourceWire.

The project includes delivery of the HiPath 8000, HiPath Xpressions voice messaging, HiPath Wireless and HiPath Mobile Connect - Fixed Mobile Convergence to enable efficient communication between staff and learners, and lay a strong foundation for a unified communications strategy.

It also includes HP ProCurve Ethernet Switching equipment to provide a resilient, cost-efficient data network.

In Network World's research report entitled Unified Communications & Collaboration, the publication asked organisations where their demand for unified communications originated.

Among 64% of the companies, demand arose from somewhere other than IT (such as end-users or business units). IT was driving the demand in 29% of the companies, and the balance (7%) didn't have any demand yet.

From the research, a link also emerged between business and technology. In some cases, business-unit leaders not only went to IT to ask for a technology-related solution to a problem, but they also were willing to fund the implementation.

Australian telecoms giant Telstra has beat its local rival Optus to land a network service contract, worth $72 million, from health insurer Medibank Private, says TMCnet.com.

The contract, which will last five years, is designed to improve response times for customer calls in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth by converging voice and call-centre technology.

Medibank Private staff will benefit from technology convergence enabling the same telephony experience regardless of their head office or retail location. The company is set to showcase this unified communications technology in its site at Docklands, in Victoria, which is due to go live in August.