https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Telephony/UC/Collaboration


Plantronics Polycom Studio

Plantronics Continues Video Momentum with Polycom Studio

  • Written by Edward Gately
  • January 29, 2019
Last summer, Plantronics completed its $2 billion acquisition of Polycom.

Headset-maker Plantronics on Tuesday debuted its first entry into the huddle room video market with its new plug-and-play video bar, Polycom Studio.

Any company whose employees use PCs or Macs for video collaboration with services like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Google Meet, Cisco Webex or Amazon Chime can get Polycom’s HD audio and video quality packaged into a portable USB device, Plantronics said.

Last summer, Plantronics completed its $2 billion acquisition of Polycom, creating a new company that offers a suite of products and services that span headsets, software, desk phones, audio and video conferencing, and analytics.

Plantronics' Chris Thorson

Plantronics’ Chris Thorson

Chris Thorson, Plantronics’ senior director of product marketing, tells Channel Partners that segmentation is increasing in the video space, “so what this means for channel partners is if you’re out there selling any of these video-as-a-service platforms, formerly you were kind of locked out of that because you didn’t have a device that would play with it.”

“Now with Polycom Studio, you can plug in a USB to any of those platforms that are available and now … that customer set that you can really go after just suddenly grew,” he said. “So I think it is going to open up a lot of new opportunities for channel partners particularly.”

As for partners that traditionally have focused more on video conferencing, this is going to let them “get into the large number of huddle rooms that are being deployed,” said Brian Phillips, Plantronics’ senior manager of product marketing.

Here’s our most recent list of new products and services being offered by agents, VARs, MSPs and other channel partners.
Plantronics' Brian Phillips

Plantronics’ Brian Phillips

“Frost and Sullivan estimates there are over 32 million huddle rooms now and very few of which have video,” he said. “But they’re expecting within the next three years that 70 percent of video conferencing rooms are going to be huddle rooms, so it’s a huge and growing market. And for a lot of our channel partners who historically focused on those midsize and larger rooms, this is going to open up new opportunities for them to get into that large mass of huddle spaces.”

Polycom Studio wirelessly connects to a corporate network allowing IT professionals to deploy and manage Polycom Studio units — across a few huddle rooms, a large campus or offices around the world. Customers can manage their Polycom Studios along with their other Polycom devices through the cloud with the Polycom Device Management Service for Enterprise or on premises with Polycom RealPresence Resource Manager.

“If you’re a partner who’s focused historically on selling headsets and maybe something like video conferencing seemed a little bit daunting or complex, Polycom Studio, because of its simplicity of the USB device, could give a nice entry point to that partner to expand their business more into the meeting room with video conference,” Phillips said. “Or maybe if you are a partner who’s focused more on selling IP phones at the desk, again, a nice, natural entry point to expanding your portfolio in the larger room.”

Polycom Studio will be available in North America, Europe and select additional countries later this quarter.

Last month, Tom Puorro, previously Cisco’s vice president of engineering, and vice president and general manager of its UC technology groups, joined Plantronics as its executive vice president and general manager of group systems. In this role, Puorro is leading the team responsible for audio and video collaboration solutions for the modern workplace.

In addition, Plantronics announced a native Microsoft Teams video conference offering in collaboration with HP. The bundle is available in the United States through shared distributors of Polycom and HP products such as Synnex and Ingram Micro.

Tags: Agents Cloud EMEA Mobility & Wireless New Products & Services Telephony/UC/Collaboration

Most Recent


  • Making Waves
    7 Channel People Making Waves This Week at 8x8, Intel, Google Cloud, RingCentral, More
    Google, which says it's cutting 12,000 workers, has not indicated how the layoffs impact Google Cloud.
  • Man's silhouette behind a transparent cell graphic and the letters RMM
    Hackers Use Legitimate RMM Software to Steal from Federal Employees
    Attacks on RMMs have caused "insurmountable" losses for SMBs.
  • INtelisys AMP'd Newport Beach 2023
    Intelisys AMP'd Images: Partners Explore B2B Purchasing Trends, CX, Security Solutions
    Customers "literally don't know" how their own buying journey works, and that's an opportunity for partners.
  • Crime scene
    Intel Earnings ‘A Crime Scene,’ ‘Astonishingly Bad,’ ‘Historic Collapse’
    Financial analysts and market experts are in shock after Intel delivered its worst results in 20 years.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Conflict Boxing Gloves
    Channel Conflict, Controversy: SolarWinds Hack, Racism, Layoffs, Zoom-RingCentral
  • Europe skyline
    The Master Agent Model Is Taking Off in Europe
  • PlanetOne Gainey Golf Event Feature
    PlanetOne Golf Event: In-Person Channel Networking Makes Big Comeback
  • Deep Learning, AI
    From T1s to 'Human Experience': TBI's Bryan Reynolds Is Witnessing a Channel Revolution

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Channel Partners Europe

June 13, 2023 - June 14, 2023

Channel Futures Leadership Summit

October 30, 2023 - November 2, 2023

Galleries

View all

7 Channel People Making Waves This Week at 8×8, Intel, Google Cloud, RingCentral, More

January 27, 2023

Intelisys AMP’d Images: Partners Explore B2B Purchasing Trends, CX, Security Solutions

January 27, 2023

Intel Earnings ‘A Crime Scene,’ ‘Astonishingly Bad,’ ‘Historic Collapse’

January 27, 2023

Industry Perspectives

View all

Make the Most of the Gift of Time in 2023

January 25, 2023

Strong Partnerships Ease Challenging UPS Upgrade

January 24, 2023

The Advantages of Managed Networking and Security During Economic Uncertainty

January 5, 2023

Webinars

View all

Next-Generation MSP Platform: The Building Blocks for Your Business

February 15, 2023

Security Secrets of the MSP 501: How to Be a Cyber Leader in 2023

December 15, 2022
  • 1

Cybersecurity Certifications: Their Evolving Role in the Fight Against Increasing Attacks

December 13, 2022

White Papers

View all

Overcoming Your Endpoint Security Limitations with a Skeleton Crew

October 25, 2022

Embracing the Zero Trust Mindset For Endpoints

October 24, 2022

Endpoints are the Destination

October 24, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 117: Cato Networks, Video Killed the Podcast Stars

Retired Astronaut Capt. Scott Kelly Previews His CP Expo Keynote

December 21, 2022

Fusion Connect Eyes Future with Intrado UC, Managed Network Customers

September 23, 2022

RingCentral Focused on Hybrid Work, Microsoft Teams, Other Integrations

September 23, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Cybersecurity advisory warns of hackers' malicious use of #RMM. @CISACyber dlvr.it/ShYRwg https://t.co/zsBvQWqOYY

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

Reaction to #Intel earnings coming in fast and furious. Find out what investors are saying, and how CEO Pat Gelsing… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

Our latest #GatelyReport looks at #cybersecurity M&A, investment with @progresspartner, @cyber_advisory, @FBI Hive… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@channelsmart says plan and boost client #retention efforts to reduce #churn. dlvr.it/ShXvhj https://t.co/4jyHPCjTBn

January 27, 2023
ChannelFutures

The CEO of @Mitel discusses the likely outcomes of buying @Atos Unify. Note: @RingCentral will play a role post acq… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@msftsecurity surpasses $20 billion in annual revenue, analysts say it's a formidable #cybersecurity market conten… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

The adoption of cloud-based services ☁️ has spiked in the last few years and is among the top growth segments. See… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

[email protected], @NICECXone, @lumencpp, @CiscoPartners joined @IntelisysCorp and partners for a day of marketing worksho… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X