Siemens Telecommunications today announced its strategic expansion into the hospitality market, as the company continues to focus on growth in vertical markets and gears for opportunities created with the convergence of voice and data, especially in the small and medium sized-market.
Siemens unveiled HiPath Leisure, a packaged, cost-effective solution for efficient management of the communication infrastructure at bed & breakfasts, guesthouses and lodges, at Hostex, the hospitality exhibition, in Sandton. HiPath Leisure comprises a combination of standalone products HiPath Hotelier (Hotel Software), HiPath 3000 (Fixed Line platform), and HiPath Terminals (Fixed Line Platform) that integrate to deliver effective communications requirements to informal hospitality players.
Siemens is currently rolling out HiPath, its convergence architecture for next generation enterprise IP communications. HiPath strengthens business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications by allowing a company's existing voice and data applications to globally interoperate over all networks. It is based on open standards and distributed architectures.
Dr Vincent Scholtz, the Managing Director of Enterprise Networks at Siemens Telecommunications, said: ''We want to be the single source for our strategic partners to plan, implement and support all electronic equipment as a systems integrator and turnkey solution provider.
Siemens has moved into the hospitality space globally. We have completed implementations at both bed & breakfast and medium to large sized hotels. The plan is to achieve a global market share of 30% over the next five years,'' Dr Scholtz said.
Siemens has completed more than 2 500 large hotel installations globally, including the likes of the Sheraton, Marriott, Hilton, Ramada and Radisson. In South Africa, installations have been completed at Cape Town's Mount Nelson and the Grand Roche hotels. For the newly launched solution, Siemens has just completed a trial at Waters Edge Executive Guesthouse in Benoni.
In South Africa, Siemens will sell its solution on price and functionality using an indirect sales model to a market with already more than 9 000 informal hospitality establishments. HiPath 3000 is a multifunctional wall-mounted communication system for integrated voice and data solutions and tailored towards the requirements of medium-sized hotels with features such as timed reminder (wake up) and cost routing.
The latest generation of HiPath Hotelier for Window's 98, Windows NT, Windows XP or Windows 2000 offers basic property management and the means to resell telephone, fax and Internet services to guests at profitable tariffs, and also to maintain important administrative control. Extensive PABX integration provides operational efficiencies and improves customer service.
The HiPath Terminals offer flexibilities tailored to the establishment's telephone instrument requirements, providing access to the features offered on the HiPath 3000 platform and HiPath Hotelier Software.
Features offered include quick and easy reservations, guest walk ins, guest history, platform integration (comprehensive PABX interface supporting extension barring/unbarring/guest name update/budget limits), call costing, billing and management reporting functions.
Jeremy Dennehy, Director of Hospitality Industry Facilitators, which advises hospitality merchants on their specific technology needs, said: ''The informal hospitality sector is growing at a phenomenal rate. Statistics are not available, but in essence, business travellers and tourists want to be mobile and also stay in touch with their day-to-day work and homes.
Guests are becoming more demanding. Technology enhancements, which save time and money for both merchants and guests, are a win-win. Technology companies like Siemens have latched onto the expected growth of this vertical sector.''
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Siemens Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd is a leading provider of voice and data networks with a comprehensive portfolio of IP-based products and solutions for enterprises, carriers and service providers. It is an integral part of the Information and Communications (I and C) business segment of Siemens AG, which also comprises Information and Communication Mobile and Siemens Business Services. The I and C Group is divided into Carrier and Fixed Networks, which focus on providing customised solutions, including the integration of products, systems and technology, to suit both business and individual needs. With a strong foundation in the mobile networks arena, which includes established GSM infrastructure, products, solutions and services for the Next Generation Internet, and electronic business solutions, Siemens provides the full spectrum of mobile business solutions, allowing users to communicate and be connected to information and services any time and any place. Further information about Information and Communications is available at: http://www.ic.siemens.
Enterprise Networks
Enterprise Networks is a division of Fixed Networks, within the Siemens Information and Communications Group (Siemens Telecommunications Pty Ltd). 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 centers, 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.
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