Siemens Information and Communications Group (I and C Group), the global leader in digital switching and voice/data integration, today launched its business strategy for next generation enterprise IP communications in South Africa.
Called HiPath, it is an important element in the drive by Siemens to offer customers mobile solutions. The Enterprise Convergence Architecture strengthens business communications by enabling a company's existing voice and data infrastructures and applications to interoperate globally over all networks.
There are many benefits, which ensure the customer gets value and a high return on the initial investment. Some include flexibility and modality. HiPath, which consumed a sizeable chunk of research and development, also uses voice compression techniques for more effective utilisation of network resources.
This innovative approach is based upon open standards and distributed architectures. HiPath also provides a rational migration path to the IP-world of highly integrated communications and appliances. It provides customers choices regarding when and how they implement applications while protecting and evolving their current infrastructure and application investments.
"IP technology is still an early adopter solution and widespread deployment will take place over several years, due to scalability, interoperability, quality of service, security and latency issues," said Hilton Loewenstein, the managing director of Enterprise Solutions in SA.
HiPath paves the way for enterprises to implement a variety of innovative solutions for business optimisation. This includes offerings for customer relationship management, web-based call centres, e-business, collaboration - internal co-operation and virtual teams - and mobile working.
Siemens' HiPath architecture further provides interoperability between different applications, workpoints and networks. It enables scaleable, end-to-end solutions to operate over voice networks, data networks or any combination thereof and offers the same high standards of availability, reliability and quality of service now associated with established telephone service.
"HiPath offers exceptional value by optimising our customers' investments in human and infrastructure capital. Furthermore it is evolutionary by allowing our customers to move the IP world at their own pace.
"Competitors, by contrast, have proposed forklift approaches that require extensive retooling and infrastructure investments that negatively impact the productivity of end-users," said Loewenstein.
Expanding on the technology, Loewenstein said Siemens Enterprise core products, including Hicom communications servers and HiPath IP products, will remain important components of the HiPath evolution strategy. Siemens HiPath architecture ensures the protection of current and future Hicom investments," he indicated.
In addition, third-party vendors products and solutions can interoperate with solutions based on the HiPath architecture," he said.
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Enterprise Solutions
Enterprise Solutions is a division within the Siemens Information and Communications Group (I&C). There are over 1 million customers in 160 countries for this division. With 70 million connections and 2.5 million Hicom communication servers, Siemens is a key player in this highly competitive and dynamic market. New convergence solutions such as HiPath convergence architecture, provide customers with an end-to-end strategy for integrating voice and data networks on the basis of IP protocols. The spectrum of products offered by this division included PABX systems, contact centres, digital, analogue and IP compliant terminals, as well as specialised business solutions for the hospitality industry, telephone management as well as a variety of cordless solutions. Enterprise Solutions also offers professional services, consulting and integration services.