Siemens: Xpress yourself.

Siemens Communications, Inc.'s HiPath Xpressions system supports the needs of small to large enterprise customers, single-site and multisite, offering messaging convergence that further enables a distributed or mobile work-force to better communicate. The real-time solution offers necessary mobility and support, streamlined system administration and a flexible storage methodology--as a whole, a unified messaging system that gives back control of business communications to the company.

According to the company's research, 66 percent of enterprise employees will travel in 2006. The company also reports that there are 24 million "teleworkers" in the U.S., while 47 percent of corporations support teleworking.

As such, and with global enterprises in mind, the HiPath Xpressions system is designed to offer enhanced mobility features such as user-defined call routing and efficient rules-based filtering of the inbox (for simpler telephone access), as well as multilingual support; these enhanced features can enable global mobile users to more effectively communicate with customers, coworkers and suppliers, or anyone with whom the user requires immediate contact.

Still at the core of the capabilities offered in Siemen's recently released HiPath Xpressions version 4 system, standard features include the following: myXpressions, a message-filtering folder allowing workers to prioritize message groups and have more important messages forwarded to cell phones or other regularly used remote numbers; the Web-based dashboard to support both voice messaging and more advanced unified messaging features, enabling users to manage messaging preferences without telephone prompts; and PhoneMail Long Distance Networking (LDN) to enable directory synchronization and dial-by-name between the PhoneMail system and the HiPath Xpressions solution, helping enterprises protect existing messaging infrastructure investments.

As well, the solution integrates unified messaging into various e-mail environments: Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, Novell Groupwise (Groupware) or IMAP 4. Support is provided for single-source, dual-source or combined message storage options, giving enterprises multiple strategies to help in minimizing the risk of lost messages while, at the same time, also maintaining control of data storage limits. IT organizations can therefore decide which implementation approach is best for their network topology. Combining multiple HiPath Xpressions systems per Microsoft Exchange site or Lotus Domino Domain offers enhanced scalability by providing direct, system-to-system networking for increased capacity within larger enterprises.

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The company's recent release of HiPath Xpressions version 4 further enables employees--particularly those on the go--to more efficiently retrieve and generally manage e-mail, voice and fax correspondence via a PC or telephone. The new portfolio provides enterprises with more deployment options, having been enhanced to interoperate on numerous enterprise infrastructures, including traditional PBXs and IP-PBXs--whether across Siemens or non-Siemens network infrastructures.

The solution is supported by open, session initiation protocol (SIP)-standard network environments, so distributed clients can be anywhere the IT infrastructure is. Because SIP is an open standard that enables the connection of any SIP-compliant end point or application, closed proprietary systems are eliminated; this arms users with the flexibility to deploy the most effective technology for their business. SIP, of course, is also inherently multimedia capable.

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The solution's new speech recognition command module and other mobility features are designed in consideration of remote workers' and mobile workers' message-managing challenges. Of note, the addition of the speech recognition module assists in giving mobile workers more access, via voice commands, to often-used messaging and organizational tools: hands-free message playback, calendar updating, meeting-date acceptance, contact-list management and message forwarding. To provide multilingual support, 13 telephony user interface (TUI) languages and six text-to-speech languages have been enhanced and included.

Siemens HiPath Xpressions version 4 provides further real-time message management features which include improved playback controls, programming shortcuts and abbreviated prompts; the latter is aimed at experienced users. Additionally, a feature called Trusted Number Access enables the user to login to the system via his or her cell phone or other frequently used remote number, eliminating the need to enter a mailbox number or passcode. The Playback On-the-Fly TUI feature allows for fast access to not-yet-read voice messages--without any additional user action.

By simplifying information access, enhancing user productivity and streamlining system administration, Siemens' real-time solution is a unified messaging system that can enhance mobility and communications, reduce operational costs and put companies in total control of their business communications.

By David R. Butcher, Assistant Editor, Customer Inter@ction Solutions