Unified communications specialist Polycom announced the launch of RealPresence Ready, an open video collaboration platform aimed at small to medium-size businesses. The system includes two HDX 6000 room systems, one HDX 7000 system and five Telepresence m100 software licenses. The solutions are modular so that SMB customers can add components such as Polycom Eagle Eye Director, telepresence m500 for tablets and the VVX 1500business video phone down the road.
“There’s something about seeing the person you’re working with that a voice alone can’t provide,” said Gene Crosby, chief operating officer at Jackson Spalding, an Atlanta-based firm of 80 creative professionals who develop advertising, media and public relations campaigns. “We need to be able to communicate face-to-face, internally and with our clients, even if we aren’t in the same place. When looking for affordable, high-quality and secure video conferencing capabilities, we needed to weigh the investment carefully. Choosing Polycom telepresence solutions was easily the smartest purchase we made last year, and we’ve seen amazing results. Polycom improves our productivity and the work we do, and our employees and clients feel much more engaged.”
Launching this week, a new cloud-based “Virtual Room” service from 8×8, enabled by the Polycom UC Intelligent Coresoftware platform, will include Polycom HDX video solutions and Polycom VVX business media phones. 8×8’s Virtual Room service allows users to join meetings via video and audio devices as well as Web telephony and smart mobile phone clients.
Another new offering from Polycom’s ecosystem is BroadSoft’s BroadCloud Video service, a cloud-based, hosted infrastructure that integrates with existing service provider offerings and Polycom UC solutions to create more video conferencing service-option packages for SMBs to choose from. Additional Polycom service provider partners plan to announce cloud-based video solutions in the coming months. Polycom, in concert with the Open Visual Collaboration Network, is also working with many partners and service providers to offer cloud-based video conferencing services to companies of all sizes.
“Polycom has built a strong business in the SMB market over many years with tens of thousands of customers across many industries that choose Polycom for our commitment to interoperability, highest quality and lowest TCO,” said Susan Hayden, executive vice president at Polycom. “As the demand for affordable and easy-to-use video solutions continues to grow, we’re doubling down on our SMB initiatives and accelerating the pace at which we’ll bring innovative software solutions to market-delivered on premises or from the cloud to any end point-room systems, desktops and mobile-while ensuring the best video experience at the most compelling price point. When customers choose Polycom open solutions, they can be assured that all their communications systems will work together seamlessly today and as their businesses grow.”