Polycom Inc. (PLCM) has announced support for a breakthrough, standards-based video compression technology, H.264 High Profile, that will reduce the bandwidth requirements for high-definition (HD) telepresence and standard definition (SD) video conferencing by as much as 50 percent, representing substantial network bandwidth cost savings for customers.

The reduced bandwidth requirements will also serve as a catalyst for broader video deployments, creating a network effect that will deliver greater customer benefits as the Polycom Open Collaboration Network of partners drive telepresence and video conferencing adoption within Unified Communications (UC) environments, the company said.

Through coding efficiency innovations, Polycom’s support for H.264 High Profile will deliver breakthrough video performance at any bandwidth, including full-motion HD video quality starting at just 512 kbps, and full-motion DVD-quality SD video starting as low as 128 kbps.

Polycom’s support for H.264 High Profile will play a key role in its recently announced alliance with Juniper Networks, which is focused on improving the quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of video networks.

“Juniper and Polycom are creating the first scalable, ‘conferencing-aware’ network solution which will enable carriers to maximize the value of their existing networks to deliver high quality video services,” said Gerri Elliott, executive vice president for strategic alliances, Juniper Networks. “This will help carriers to move away from siloed networks toward more intelligent and efficient converged networks which are more sustainable and profitable in the long-term.”

The reduced bandwidth requirements also will help drive broader use of video within unified communications environments through efforts with Polycom Open Collaboration Network partners Avaya, Microsoft, IBM, Siemens Enterprise Communications Group and BroadSoft.

“Siemens is excited about its partnership with Polycom and the support for H.264 High Profile, which will give our customers added cost-effectiveness and faster return on investment for their UC-enabled video solutions,” said Gerald Kromer, senior vice president of services and solutions for Siemens Enterprise Communications (SEN). “Video communication is becoming a key component of UC, and helps to dramatically improve the productivity of our customers. Working with Polycom enables us to deliver on our Open Communications commitment and enhance our leading OpenScape UC platform with a full range of video solutions that deliver exceptional performance at any bandwidth.”

Polycom today also announced an expanded telepresence product portfolio with the new Polycom HDX 6000 View, a full-featured HD room telepresence system for under $5,000, and the Polycom HDX 9000 1080, an HD room telepresence system for integrators demanding the benefits of 1080p video resolution.

Support for H.264 High Profile on Polycom HDX room and personal telepresence systems is planned for April. Polycom also plans to support H.264 High Profile across its visual communication infrastructure and recording and streaming solutions, and across its immersive telepresence solutions in the coming months. The Polycom HDX 6000 View is planned for availability in April with a starting list price of $4,999. The Polycom HDX 9000 1080 is planned for availability in April with a starting list price of $24,999. Polycom solutions are available through certified Polycom reseller partners.