Polycom Unveils Innovative Around-the-Table Video Collaboration Experience with Full HD, 360-Degree Panoramic Video
The introduction of new solutions custom built for Lync, and the continued expansion of Polycom’s Lync-interoperable portfolio, reflect the strength of the Polycom and Microsoft alliance.
Polycom and Microsoft: Better Together
Polycom also announced it earned Lync 2013 qualification for Polycom® VVX® 300, VVX 310, VVX 400 and VVX 410 Business Media Phones. Software updates for Polycom VVX Business Media Phones (Polycom UC Software v 5.0) in Lync environments has new features including improved call management such as call park or call transfer; and the ability to search address book contacts. As announced in March, Polycom plans to deliver a software extension to the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform later in 2013 that will enable interoperability between Lync 2013 and the full portfolio of Polycom standards-based video collaboration and content sharing solutions.
The new solutions join the more than 40 Polycom offerings that work with Microsoft Lync 2010 or 2013, including: Polycom® RealPresence® Content Sharing Suite, which is a software application for the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform that allows Lync users to share content back and forth with standards-based video collaboration devices; Polycom® RealPresence® Collaboration Server, part of the Polycom RealPresence Platform, which includes software for multiparty video and voice collaboration; Polycom® RealPresence® room and executive desktop video systems; audio solutions such as Polycom® SoundPoint® IP conference phone, Polycom® SoundStation® conference phone, and Polycom® SoundStructure®; Polycom® CX phones and video solutions; and Polycom VVX Business Media Phones.
Polycom and Lync Solutions Deliver Significant Benefits for Customers Worldwide, Including Global Engineering Consultancy Buro Happold
Together, Polycom RealPresence video and voice solutions and Microsoft Lync unify communications across work environments. For global engineering consultancy Buro Happold, video and voice collaboration solutions helped the company reduce travel costs, amounting up to £3 million annually. The company also gained 3,000 hours a month in productivity by working smarter, and improved the work/life balance for employees, 90 percent of whom are now video-enabled. Virtually every desk has its own high-tech camera and speaker system, directly connected with Lync through open standards.
“The combination of Microsoft Lync and Polycom video solutions has been a real game-changer in terms of collaborating across the business. Together, they provide a true unified communications platform, where anyone can join HD video or voice calls at the touch of a button. The core reason for choosing Polycom was its close strategic relationship with Microsoft,” said Shaun Mundy, Group IT Director, Buro Happold.
Availability
The Polycom® CX5100 Unified Conference Station is scheduled to be available worldwide in September. The Polycom® CX5500 Unified Conference Station (with SIP Telephony) is scheduled to be available in the fourth quarter of 2013. For Lync users, Polycom UC Software v. 5.0 is scheduled to be available as a free upgrade in August for customers on maintenance support of VVX Business Media Phones. For more information, contact 1-800-Polycom or visit www.polycom.com.