VoIP Gateway uses open standards to extend real-time converged communications to legacy telecoms infrastructure

10th August 2004

London, UK, 10th August 2004: VegaStream today announced Siemens has signed a supply agreement for deployment of VegaStream VoIP gateways with the Siemens OpenScape product in the UK. The integration of VegaStream's VoIP gateways with the Siemens OpenScape product delivers an open real-time communications solution fully converged for voice, video and data. The full breadth of the VegaStream product portfolio has been optimised for complete interoperability and integration with the Siemens OpenScape platform enabling UK customers to seamlessly deploy converged voice and data IP applications alongside their existing telecom infrastructure.

The Siemens / VegaStream solution - together with the Microsoft Office Live Communications Server - enables enterprises and service providers to quickly and easily synchronise people and information by deploying real-time IP systems, applications, workpoint clients and services both across the organisation and down to the individual user's desktop environment. The VegaStream VoIP Gateways enable real-time voice applications such as "status-aware Buddy Lists" and workgroup collaboration to be deployed alongside existing telecom equipment such as the PSTN or PBX further accelerating the return on investment.

Key OpenScape features enabled by the VegaStream VoIP Gateway include:

Personal Productivity Applications

• A Workgroup Portal providing an intuitive user interface that gives each user the option of defining multiple 'status-aware' personal Buddy Lists
  
• Intelligent caller management with authorised callers given access to specific information, or to the calendar enabling them to arrange appointments from any device at any time

Workshop Collboration Applications

• Improved audio and multimedia conferences through better collaborative sessions and transparent scheduling process
  
• Fully integrated voice and data applications enabling participants to see up-to-date attendee information, the current document under review, and the set of documents scheduled for review in this session
  
  "The telecoms market is such that there is massive diversity in what equipment is installed on customer premises," said Tim Burne, CEO, VegaStream. "Even within an organisation there can be a PBX from a different vendor at each location creating a potential headache for any organisation looking to deploy a new communications architecture. All too often in this situation, as businesses weigh up the costs (both financial and in terms of risk) against the expected productivity benefits, the choice is either rip-and-replace the whole lot or make do and postpone a decision. The VegaStream VoIP gateways remove this barrier and ensure that the customer, whatever PBX or PSTN set-up they have within the organisation, can cost-effectively invest in the next generation of communications applications with practically no disruption to their existing telecoms infrastructure."