RESTON, Va., June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Responding to the accelerated growth in its small and medium-sized business (SMB) market and the growing demand for seamless business communications solutions, Siemens Enterprise Communications today announced full integration of its OpenScape Office platform – an all-in-one, IP-based Unified Communications solution – into VMware’s ZIMBRA and Apple’s Mac OS. The enhanced OpenScape Office also comes with a Business Applications Launcher.

These enhancements fulfill the demands of the company’s seven million-strong SMB users for deeper Groupware integration and seamless integration into business applications. Plus, as more SMBs globally embrace the use of Apple devices, customers require full support for the Mac OS.

Sales of OpenScape Office increased 75 percent globally this year, following on from a 67 percent year-over-year growth in SMB business performance recorded last year. This platform has shown consistent market performance since its launch in 2006 and demonstrates its growing popularity as the UC suite-of-choice for SMBs globally. Such growth also contributed to a 52 percent increase in the total number of IP lines shipped across all business segments in Q1 2012.

“The recent sales growth for OpenScape Office demonstrates that Siemens Enterprise Communications is now helping more SMBs than ever to simplify business communications, embrace mobility and increase efficiency,” said Patrick Kehoe, Senior Vice President, Business Partners and SMB Business, Siemens Enterprise Communications. “Our SMB customers are demanding the flexibility to accomplish more, improve customer service and keep costs low. These enhancements help them address such business needs through better communications and tighter collaboration.”

VMware Zimbra’s OpenScape Advantage

VMware Zimbra Collaboration Server (ZCS) is an enterprise-class email, calendar and collaboration server. By integrating with OpenScape Office, SMBs now have powerful UC services built into their messaging platform, creating one unified communications solution for users. This integration also enables SMBs to reduce their IT infrastructure investment by running all their communication services on one single VMware Zimbra-based system.

“SMBs today are looking for tools to help them grow internationally and challenge larger enterprise competitors,” said John Robb, senior director at VMware. “The integration between Siemens Enterprise Communications’ OpenScape Office and VMware Zimbra gives SMBs a single communications solution that enables them to streamline user experience, improve productivity and reduce costs to compete more efficiently with larger companies.”

OpenScape Office for Mac

With the improved OpenScape Office solution, Siemens Enterprise Communications Mac customers get access to a best in class unified communication solution. Along with Mac OS support, the user interface has been greatly enhanced to further improve user experience. With OpenScape Office myPortal now serving both Windows and Mac users — as well as mobile devices like iPhones, iPads and Android devices — Siemens Enterprise Communications SMB customers can get instant access to all their communication services through a flexible user interface, completely independent of device and location.

Communications-enabled Business Processes

In addition, OpenScape Office features expanded IT integration capabilities, supporting SMBs in integrating communications with business processes to improve productivity.

These include:

• Open Directory Service (ODS): an embedded connectivity to external databases. ODS provides access to contact databases, enabling identification of incoming callers by name as well as contact search beyond the contacts stored in the personal address book.
• OpenScape Office Application launcher: a client application that allows the launch of any third party business applications, such as CRM apps, based on caller identification, to improve customer service
• Microsoft Office 365 support: OpenScape Office allows flexible connectivity with Microsoft Office 365 groupware

Availability

OpenScape Office is available now exclusively through Siemens Enterprise Communications’ channel partners. In addition, SMBs can receive free advanced UC features when they upgrade to OpenScape Office between now and June 30.

Additional Resources

OpenScape Office
Trade Up To Advanced UCC
Siemens Enterprise Communications on Twitter
Siemens Enterprise Communications on LinkedIn

About Siemens Enterprise Communications

Siemens Enterprise Communications is a premier provider of end-to-end enterprise communications, including voice, network infrastructure and security solutions that use open, standards-based unified communications and business applications for a seamless collaboration experience. This award-winning “Open Communications” approach enables organizations to improve productivity and reduce costs through easy-to-deploy solutions that work within existing IT environments, delivering operational efficiencies. It is the foundation for the company’s OpenPath commitment that enables customers to mitigate risk and cost-effectively adopt unified communications. Jointly owned by The Gores Group and Siemens AG, Siemens Enterprise Communications includes Cycos and Enterasys Networks. For more information about Siemens Enterprise Communications or Enterasys please visit www.siemens-enterprise.com or www.enterasys.com.

Note: Siemens Enterprise Communications & Co K.G. is a trademark licensee of Siemens AG. HiPath, OpenOffice, OpenScape and OpenStage, are registered trademarks of Siemens Enterprise Communications & Co K.G. or its affiliates. All other company, brand, product and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

This release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of Siemens’ management. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “should,” and “project” are used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the company’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to be materially different, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Siemens Enterprise Communications