[September 18, 2002]

Polycom Intros Unified Voice And Video Conferencing Bridge With Integrated Web Collaboration

Polycom Inc. introduced new unified conferencing bridge software for its MGC product line that combines full-featured voice and video capabilities for PSTN, VoIP, ISDN (H.320) and IP (H.323) conferencing on a single MGC platform. The shared resource architecture of the MGC platform enables enterprises and service providers to maximize their investment and more easily cost justify rich-media communications. Specifically, users can streamline management and support requirements and save on network conferencing resources by combining voice and video conferencing capabilities on a single platform.

Extending the functionality, the new unified conferencing bridge is integrated with the Polycom WebOffice Web conferencing solution, offering users a single, easy-to-use and cost-effective solution for all of their conferencing needs. Through integration with the new unified conferencing bridge, Polycom WebOffice users can launch voice conferences and video conferences on the fly by simply clicking a button.

"The delivery of a unified conferencing bridge streamlines the management and support requirements of voice and video conferencing for our customers and opens the door for Polycom to introduce breakthrough integrated features and functionality for end users," said Jules DeVigne, executive vice president and general manager of network systems at Polycom. "Polycom now offers customers the most full-featured, extensible, and easy-to-use solution on the market for interactive voice, video and Web communications. For capital expenditure purchase decisions that require a clear cost justification, this is a product solution that has an excellent return on investment."

Existing Polycom MGC customers can now expand the capabilities of their MGC Video Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) and Gateway systems or the recently introduced Polycom VoicePlus voice conferencing bridge by adding either voice or video conferencing capabilities to their existing systems.

"With the new capabilities of our MGC platform, we have significantly increased the functionality and overall value of the Polycom video and voice conferencing MCUs already in the field," said DeVigne. "Polycom Video MCU and Gateway customers can now leverage their existing investment by expanding to voice conferencing, reducing support requirements and enabling users to easily and simply choose the type of communication that best fits their needs without having to reserve or schedule the resources. In addition, with our management and scheduling solutions, users who choose to schedule and reserve resources can do that as well. This is the way communications should work and is another proof point in our leadership in delivering conferencing/collaboration solutions and is a key part of The Polycom Office."

For service providers and enterprises, the MGC platform is also available with integrated billing and usage reporting systems from Insight Systems Inc. and MetraTech. These solutions provide administrators with the ability to capture customer usage data and integrate it with their billing systems for voice, video and Web conferencing services. Administrators can select from a variety of reports or create customer output files to export into existing operation support systems, such as quality and revenue assurance. Using the MGC API, users can leverage their existing applications to support voice and/or video applications.

The Polycom Video and Gateway MCU and Polycom VoicePlus are built on the company's award-winning MGC platform and are an integrated part of The Polycom Office, the company's end-to-end solution and line of industry-leading interactive voice and video communications endpoints, software management systems and network infrastructure equipment. The product is an essential component of The Polycom Office end-to-end solution and provides a complete set of conferencing features, available on IP and ISDN networks, which make video conferencing more reliable and easy to use.

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