Siemens Enterprise Adds Web, Video Conferencing to UC Platform

Siemens Enterprise is buying FastViewer to add Web and video conferencing to the latest edition of its OpenScape Unified Communications and Collaboration platform.

The purchase means Germany-based Siemens Enterprise can use FastViewers existing technology in its UC systems, rather than creating similar capabilities from scratch. The move adds important functions to OpenScape but Siemens Enterprise still has a lot of ground to gain when it comes to competing against giants such as Cisco Systems Inc.

Siemens Enterprise did not disclose how much its paying for the four-year-old FastViewer. FastViewer specializes in Web conferencing, desktop sharing and e-collaboration. Siemens Enterprise called FastViewers software so easy to deploy” that it can be installed on one server in an hour.

Enterprises increasingly view Web, video and mobile collaboration as critical components of their communications infrastructure for the cost savings and employee productivity improvements they provide,” said Chris Hummel, chief marketing officer of Siemens Enterprise, in a prepared statement. We have selected FastViewer due to its highly efficient and simple-to-use application.”

For example, upgrades require no server downtime, end users dont have to download clients, and the FastViewer technology uses little infrastructure, Siemens Enterprise said. FastViewer also has created mobile collaboration apps for iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones.

Siemens Enterprise will brand FastViewer as OpenScape Web Collaboration and add it to the newly updated OpenScape UC Suite 2011. OpenScape UC Suite 2011 combines unified communications, mobility, desktop videoconferencing, Web collaboration and customizable phone applications.

FastViewer already serves more than 4,000 customers in 12 countries.