Polycom, AT&T Team on Cloud-Based Video Communications
Polycom (NASDAQ: PLCM) will combine its RealPresence videoconferencing platform with AT&T’s (NYSE: T) Business Exchange telepresence solution and other services in a strategic accord between the two companies to deliver a higher grade of business-centric, cloud-based video meetings and collaborations.
Video is well on its way to becoming a universal presence not only in the IT marketplace and the enterprise boardroom but also in SMB meeting rooms as well–essentially occupying the lead dog spot in any communications strategy. With this deal, both Polycom and AT&T are intent upon cementing their positions on the cloud-based video communications bandwagon. Let’s have a look at what their agreement is lined up to produce:
The partnership between the video and business communications specialist and the telecommunications giant is framed to produce enhanced virtual meeting room capabilities, new forms of collaboration, managed service bundles and VPN services, according to the companies.
Initially, AT&T will incorporate RealPresence as part of its telepresence solution video infrastructure in the AT&T Business Exchange. The souped up platform is intended to deliver new on-demand virtual meeting room capabilities that increase customer choice through expanded interoperability; flexible and easy-to-use video collaboration experiences at a lower total cost of ownership; and new collaborations among business customers, partners and suppliers on AT&T’s Business Exchange.
The agreement also is targeted to make Polycom video solutions such as immersive and multipurpose rooms and personal systems available to AT&T’s telepresence customers as part of a managed service bundle. The idea is to help customers lower capital expenditures by providing the video equipment as a managed service for a monthly fee.
And, Polycom will leverage AT&T as its preferred internal wide area network service provider using the multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) AT&T VPN service. The network will carry Polycom video, voice and data communications including access to Business Exchange in 80 locations worldwide, including Polycom Customer Experience and Briefing Centers.
“With Polycom’s commitment to openness, standards and interoperability, and AT&T’s commitment to networks, applications and interconnectivity, we’re creating video solutions for customers that are as simple, reliable and as universal as dial tone so they can collaborate without worrying about vendor, device or network-specific restrictions,” said Andy Miller, Polycom president and chief executive.
AT&T Business Solutions chief marketing officer Michael Bowling said the association between the two companies “will bring customers new capabilities, help expand their reach and use of video collaboration and ultimately deliver lasting impacts by transforming how they get work done.”
Both companies are board-level founders of the Open Visual Communications Consortium, an industry association promoting open, interoperable solutions for visual communications.
