Gigaset Communications

Gigaset AG

Type	Aktiengesellschaft
Traded as	FWB: GGS
Industry	Consumer electronics
Founded	2008
Headquarters	Munich, Germany
Key people	Charles Fränkl (CEO and chairman of the executive board), Bernhard Riedel (Chairman of the supervisory board)
Products	Smart Home, Cordless, VoIP and corded telephones, Smartphones
Revenue	€371.2 million (2013)[1]
Operating income	(€16.7 million) (2013)[1]
Profit	(€36.1 million) (2013)[1]
Total assets	€303.5 million (end 2013)[1]
Total equity	€24.3 million (end 2013)[1]
Number of employees	1,400 (end 2013)[1]
Website	www.gigaset.com

Gigaset AG, formerly known as Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices is a multinational corporation based in Munich, Germany. The company is most active in the area of communications technology. Gigaset is also Europe's market leader in DECT telephones and around 1,400 employees and sales activities in approximately 70 countries. Under the name Gigaset pro, the company develops and markets business telephony solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. The company also operates in the Smart Home arena. Products for the "smart home" are developed and marketed under the name Gigaset elements.

Gigaset AG is listed on the Prime Standard of Deutsche Börse and its shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'GGS' (ISIN: DE0005156004).

History

Gigaset Communications was established on October 1, 2008, when Arques Industries, a private equity firm acquired 80.2% equity interest in Siemens Home and Office Communication Devices GmbH & Co. KG (SHC) from Siemens AG.^[2][3]

Products and services

Gigaset creates numerous products for home and small office use:

• Corded phones: The company sells their analog phones by the brand "euroset".

• Cordless phones: Specializing in DECT technology, Gigaset offers a wide variety of wireless phones (900Mhz, 2.4Ghz and DECT), and ISDN phones.

• VoIP phones: A variety of cordless (DECT) VoIP products are available. Certain products offer free calls using gigaset.net SIP network.

• Smart home sensors: The line is called Gigaset Elements. As of September 2014 they are offering door/window sensor, motion sensor and siren. Those devices are connected to a base-station thru DECT ULE and the base is connected to the internet thru LAN. The user has the ability to get notifications on his smartphone by using a dedicated app (available for Android and iOS).

• Broadband products: Gigaset offers ADSL modems, home gateways, Wireless LAN routers, access points and wireless accessories. Prior to Gigaset brand, the company launched modems with the SpeedStream brand, such as the obsolete 4200 modem.

• Home Media: Gigaset offers several digital TV receivers divided in three categories: Satellite TV receivers, Terrestrial TV receivers and Cable TV receivers.

• Network management software: Gigaset created NetGuru, a software platform that helps users set-up and manage home networks. The tool targets operators and ISPs, as well as consumers.

• WiMAX: Gigaset also makes WiMAX CPEs. This line of products range from WiMAX express cards for new notebooks such as the SE68, to full blown WiMAX gateways with integrated wi-fi technology and FXS port for VoIP, such as the SX682. Gigaset works with 802.16d and 802.16e standards.

Gigaset.net

Gigaset.net is a free phone service provided by the company to customers who acquire certain VoIP phones. Users can edit a nickname in the phone, search for buddies and make free wideband audio calls to other users. The only requirement is that the customer has broadband connection.

Furthermore, the Gigaset.net network offers free RSS subscription to a number of services called Info Service. The basic services provided are weather and horoscope, which are shown scrolling on the phone display. Users can add custom RSS feeds, and watch them on phone screen. More recently, the company started offering ability to monitor e-Bay auctions.

Eco Dect / Eco Dect Plus

Gigaset created Eco Dect and Eco Dect Plus technology, where radio wave transmission is switched off when the handset is charging in its base station and 60-80% of the energy is saved by using low-energy switched mode power supply units.

It consists of two elements:

• Less power consumption by using switched-mode power supply unit (PSU).
• Reduction of the transmission power. This is done in two forms. Firstly, transmission power is adjusted according to the handset's distance to the base station. Secondly, transmission power is turned off when the handset is docked and charging.

Consequences of use:^[4]

• Standby time and talk-time on handsets is reduced by around 50%, using either or both modes, due to the additional scanning the handsets therefore have to do.
• Range is also reduced by around 50% for both modes: Eco Dect Plus to 50m indoors, 300m outdoors; Eco Dect (or both modes) to 25m indoors, 150m outdoors.

A "green home" logo is often used to show that the product is eco-friendly. The company employs a marketing campaign with the slogan "Make a little difference".^[5]

High Sound Performance

Gigaset created High Sound Performance (HSP) to provide higher sound quality to normal analog land-line phones. Many of the company's newest phones incorporate this technology.

High Definition Sound Performance

High Definition Sound Performance (HDSP) enables with an even higher sound quality than HSP, although for "normal" land-line phone users there is no sound difference, since this is a service available only to VoIP customers with the G.722 codec.^[6] Also, phones require a broadband connection and are limited to the company's VoIP phones such as the A510 IP, C610A IP, and users of other phones that use the G722 codec. HDSP technology uses the G.722 wideband audio (or HD audio) codec which provides audio with a frequency response up to 7 kHz.

CAT-iq

Gigaset has also integrated CAT-iq technology on several VoIP phones and all phones supporting HDSP are CAT-iq compliant.

References

External links

• Official website