Siemens calls its new product line AudioPresence(tm) HD. It integrates HD-quality, standards-based audio codecs (G.722) into the range of speakers, microsophones and aucoustic components that are embedded in its OpenStage-branded IP phones.
The same technology will be integrated in the upcoming release of OpenScape UC Version 6, which supports multi-party audio conferences and brings an “Automatic Gain Control” feature which is designed to “normalize” the annoying rises and falls in voice volume across multiple talkpaths.

As Siemen sees it, HD is best suited to support conversations “among people with diverse native language backgrounds” which they see as a fast growing market. They are backed, in this assessment, by global research firm MZA Ltd., which predicts that the worldwide conferencing solutions market will grow to nearly $8 billion at a compound growth rate of over 13%, attributing that growth to restrictions on business travel.

The announcement of HD voice coincides with the launch of its OpenStage 5 SIP phone. The company positions the OpenStage 5 SIP phone as an entry level phone that supports AudioPresenceTM HD, as well as many other key business and security features.

No financial (and precious few technical) details were provided today, but the result of the alliance is that Avaya can respond to a long-standing demand from existing customers to support low-cost long distance service over the Internet via Skype. The two companies have been working “in parallel” (to quote Avaya’s Alan Baratz) for some time now. Indeed, support of Avaya-branded PBXs were core to the launch of Skype Connect back in August. In addition, because both companies reside in the investment portfolio of Silverlake Partners, a tighter alliance has been long anticipated.

Now that the two companies are overtly working together, Avaya customers are being prepped to expect a package of solutions that will make it easier to use a broader array of Avaya-branded resources to control who, where and how their employees can have their voice calls carried over Skype. The roster of “session management” resources in play includes the Avaya Aura™ Session Manager or Avaya Aura SIP Enablement Server, as well as the CS1000, Avaya IP Office, or BCM (for those Nortel customers now supported by Avaya). Note that overall Quality of Service (QoS) for calls carried over the Internet cannot be guaranteed by any of the session initiation resources.

Avaya plays an important role in the process of “enterprise hardening” Skype. Avaya’s elements will handle important functions around security and regulatory compliance allowing Skype to fulfill its long-standing role as a network for cheap long-distance and international calls. As the technology roadmap takes shape, the two companies are talking about support of contact center functions, eventually including support of work-at-home agents.

According to Alan Baratz, who heads Avaya Global Communications Solutions, Avaya’s customers are just beginning to make their move to Aura and the Session Enablement Server, so this announcement may not have as wide-reaching impact as it suggests. In addition, the tactical decision to confine roll-out to North America will also put a lid on its global dimensions. The lack of mature standards for interoperable videoconferencing and federated IM will also serve as speedbumps when it comes time to deploy solutions in 2011.

Meanwhile, enterprise migration to IP-telephony is destined to accelerate organically. Competiting infrastructure providers Cisco and Alcatel-Lucent are articulating strategies to bear that seem more “open” and developer-friendly. But the power of the Skype brand and its popularity among a loyal following of 125 million “active” users serves as a ready-made base of users who are familiar (and in most cases quite pleased) with the service.

BTW: Elsewhere in the social and mobile realm, Skype is doing some “deep integration” with Facebook, as noted by Greg Sterling here.

To use a tennis metaphor, the initial serve and volley between Dryburgh and Gouran turned into an exchange of groundstrokes that revealed that both players have impressive backhands. Meanwhile, York’s commentary, which takes a decidedly technical approach to whether it is practical for Skype to support so-called “P2P-SIP” connections, spurred another round of online discussion regarding the VoIP giant’s strategy for future survival and ultimately growth.

Yet, on Thursday Oct 15, Phil Wolff posted this article under the headline “Why Collaboration is strategic for Skype”. In it he practically renders the “P2P-SIP” question moot by declaring that “collaboration”, in its many forms, is the next must-have feature for Skype. It’s a compelling argument. Many of us have learned the hard way that users regard voice as a commodity. Skype built its much vaunted “reach” as a free, or very low-cost substitute for international phone calls. Only a small percentage of the hundreds of millions of users spring for services that carry a price tag, such as Skype Out to initiate calls to traditional phone numbers, or other call management features.

As Wolff correctly notes, “Skype everywhere” has been the goal of the company for a number of years. A number of developers in the Recombinant Telephony world are already building interesting apps with Skype talking to Asterisk and a skinnier Skype client supporting larger communities of talkers. In his post, Dan York notes that Skype constantly hires engineers with deep knowledge and experience with SIP. So P2P-to-SIP or P2P using SIP schema are pretty much a foregone conclusion.

Which leads us back to Wolff’s central belief that such a switch is simply not enough. The next generation of Skype must be transformational (and it is very much underway). It involves making it much, much easier for Skype users to collaborate in meaningful ways with one another. It brings in voice, video, screen sharing, conferencing, task distribution and other so-called “productivity enhancers”.

Skype could advance the best collaboration practices and technology. And with Skype’s distribution (one billion accounts by 2013), could easily become the tool of choice for producing results, enjoying your job, and building economic security.

That’s a pretty good headstart versus the firms whose beachhead is IM, UC or videoconferencing.