Siemens Deploys Unified Communication Solution for Regional Hospital Streamlining Operations and...

Siemens' Productivity-Enhancing Applications and Innovative Open Solutions Enable Award-Winning Healthcare System to Improve Staff Collaboration, Patient Satisfaction

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Siemens Communications, Inc., [NYSE: SI] today announced that BryanLGH Medical Center in Lincoln,

An award-winning, nonprofit, locally owned healthcare organization with two acute-care sites and several outpatient clinics, BryanLGH wanted to standardize on an enterprise-wide communications system that provided centralized applications and a single point of administration to make its network and communications management process more streamlined.

"We want to set the bar for quality healthcare in Nebraska, and improving patient care by enhancing employee collaboration is key to our strategy," said Susan Hopkins, Manager of Telecommunications at BryanLGH. "By embedding real-time communications into our mission-critical business processes, Siemens has improved our staff's productivity and efficiency and our overall quality of care."

Siemens Communications' productivity-enhancing applications, open standards and its intuitive, user-centric technology convinced BryanLGH to choose Siemens over all competitors. Another major factor was the existing relationship between Windstream Communications and BryanLGH.

"Windstream has been BryanLGH's trusted communications provider for over 25 years and our consultative selling approach enabled us to fully assess BryanLGH's business needs and future goals," said Cheryl Krueger, Area Vice President of Business Solutions at Windstream. "Windstream then mapped these goals to the Siemens technology that would take BryanLGH to the next level in patient care."

BryanLGH sought to consolidate and develop an open and flexible standard of converged systems to include IP networking, applications and devices that would also accommodate the requirement for Siemens' IP solutions to integrate seamlessly with existing elements of the hospital's TDM infrastructure. The hospital replaced parts of its existing infrastructure at its 11 facilities with two networked HiPath 4000 Real-Time IP Systems at its two main locations and deployed IP access points in its remote locations to accommodate its 4,000 users. The complete solution provides BryanLGH with the resiliency to support its operations while increasing operational efficiencies and reducing total cost of ownership by centralizing management of its voice network.

BryanLGH also invested heavily in applications. The company replaced its two existing voice messaging systems with a Siemens HiPath Xpressions Unified Communications solution, which will allow them to migrate to a single view and management interface for all messages - e-mail, mobile and fax - for on-site and mobile healthcare employees. HiPath ProCenter Contact Center improves the healthcare institution's ability to resolve patient inquiries funneled through its call centers on the first contact, increasing satisfaction and level of care for BryanLGH's patients.

Siemens' strategic OpenPath approach has enabled BryanLGH to transform its communications infrastructure by introducing open, standards-based communication, enterprise-wide presence and unified mobile and fixed voice communications. This leaves the door open for BryanLGH to embrace next-generation technologies that will provide access anywhere, anytime over any device. Installation is taking place in a phased approach and is scheduled to be completed by October 2007.

BryanLGH selected Siemens because Siemens offered open, standards-based, interoperable architecture that enabled BryanLGH to optimize its legacy equipment and meet its business needs through top-of-the-line technology, said Rick Fitzgerald, Vice President and General Manager, Siemens Channel Solutions Group. "Siemens' Open Communications philosophy lowers costs and provides enterprise users with maximum flexibility, scalability and mobility while delivering superior performance," he said.

About Siemens

Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $107.4 billion in fiscal 2006. Founded 160 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $21.4 billion and employs approximately 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 480,000 people in 190 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com.

About Siemens Communications, Inc.

Siemens Communications, Inc. is an affiliate of Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG, one of the world's leading vendors of Open Communications solutions for enterprises of all sizes, enabling business processes to be more productive, faster and more secure - with any device, network or information technology infrastructure. Siemens Communications Inc., and Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG are wholly owned subsidiaries of Siemens AG with about 15,000 employees globally and headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. For more info, visit www.usa.siemens.com/communications.

About BryanLGH

BryanLGH is a not-for-profit, locally owned healthcare organization with two acute-care facilities and several outpatient clinics. Its national award-winning care includes the areas of cardiology, orthopedics, trauma, neuroscience, mental health, women's health and oncology. A statewide network allows BryanLGH to provide sophisticated mobile diagnostic treatment and services to citizens throughout the region. For more information, visit www.bryanlgh.org.

About Windstream Communications

Headquartered in Little Rock, Ark., Windstream Communications offers phone, broadband and digital TV services. Windstream was formed through the spin-off of Alltel's landline business and merger with VALOR Telecom. For more information, visit www.windstream.com.

Note: Siemens, HiPath, MobileConnect and OpenScape are registered trademarks of Siemens AG or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other company, brand, product and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.