June/July 2003

Linking remote workers with corporate email and business processes could become easier following the launch of a system called OpenScape from Siemens Communications. It has been developed by Siemens in tandem with Microsoft, and uses Microsoft's new Windows 2003 Server and Real Time Communication Server.

Siemens claims it is the first application of its type to take advantage of a convergence between voice and data worlds. A key feature is its communication broker, which translates data traffic into the most appropriate format for the end user, whatever the target type of device or display.

Users have what is termed a "personal portal" providing a single source of access to all office communications: email, presence information on contacts (a "Buddy list"), the calendar system from Microsoft's Outlook application, instant messaging (IM) and a suite of collaboration tools.

"Presence information" - a new concept - describes the current status of OpenScape users (available, out of the office, working from home, working from customer's premises and so on). Users indicate the most appropriate form of communication for their current location, so that others can see at a glance how to contact them (phone, SMS, email or whatever).