Polycom Releases VoIP conference phones delivering HD voice
PLEASANTON, Calif. – April 8, 2008 – Polycom, Inc. [NASDAQ: PLCM], the world's leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions and creator of the iconic triangular conference phone, today redefines conference calling yet again. The SoundStation® IP 7000 and IP 6000—two next-generation IP conference phones—offer groundbreaking Polycom features including Polycom HD Voice™ technology and a sleek new design. The SoundStation IP 7000 is an ideal upgrade for executive offices, conference rooms and board rooms, while the SoundStation® IP 6000 is suited for managerial offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms.
As the conference phone market leader, with Polycom is the most recognized brand in conference rooms across the globe. With the introduction of these two new conference phones, Polycom redefines what businesses worldwide can expect from their conferencing endpoints as well as from new SIP-based voice over IP (VoIP) network installations in terms of performance, voice quality, price and design enhancements.
"In today's global business environment, voice is a vital medium for business communications and phones are the primary interface for end-users," said Nora Freedman, senior analyst of enterprise networks at IDC. "Due to the sheer number of conference calls held daily, conference phones are a key segment of any organization's end-point portfolio. Therefore, the integration of advanced IP applications and High Definition voice technology for conference phones can improve the user experience, and ultimately, make a positive impact on business communications and process."
HD Voice Fuels Call Clarity, IP Connectivity Offers More than Voice
In a recent VoIP study, Synergy Research reported that more than 73 percent of new telephony lines are expected to be IP this year, and IDC is forecasting 30 percent growth in VoIP desktop hardware over 2007. Following this trend, the new SoundStation IP 7000 and SoundStation IP 6000 expand Polycom's IP conference phone portfolio and are the first conference phones developed to integrate open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) with
Polycom HD Voice. Combined with HD Voice and Polycom's patented Acoustic Clarity Technology, these phones offer unrivaled clarity for breakthrough voice quality and more productive conference calls. The new conference phones also feature Polycom's latest radio frequency shielding technologies that "stop the buzz" created by interference from mobile phones and smartphones – a problem so widespread that 70 percent of recent survey respondents reported a willingness to upgrade their conference phones if that would solve the problem.
As high definition technologies become more prevalent throughout the communications industry, a growing number of VoIP service providers and audio conferencing services are supporting HD Voice. ZipDX, a Polycom ARENA partner, is one of the first to offer HD voice-enabled conferencing. ZipDX worked with a number of companies to test their HD conference service with the new SoundStation IP 6000 and IP 7000 conference phones.
"The combination of the Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 and the ZipDX audio conferencing service is taking collaboration to a new level," according to Bryan Newman, director of Information Systems for Okuma America Corp., a world leader in machining technology based in Charlotte, N.C. "We conference extensively among our US offices, with our distributors and customers in North and South America, and with our parent in Japan. Our recent trials with IP 7000's and SoundPoint phones have demonstrated the benefits in recognizing voices and understanding accented speakers."
"The enhanced audio quality of the Polycom phones, combined with the advanced conferencing features of ZipDX, have made our calls more productive and we are exploring rolling the technology out in additional locations," continued Newman. “Whether it’s training, selling, or managing, it's important that our message gets through clearly, and that we hear and understand what people are saying to us. With ZipDX and Polycom HD Voice technology, our conferences are a snap to set up, start on time, have the highest audio quality, and are secure and easy to manage."
'With the introduction of our new open SIP HD Voice conference phones, we're helping customers make the most of their VoIP network investments by delivering HD Voice communications on a platform that brings value beyond voice," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Polycom's voice communications solutions division. "Our customers will reap the benefits of a new level of communication with more productive, engaging conference calls."
Product Features
The SoundStation IP 7000 introduces a new, sleek design that redefines the look and feel and performance of the traditional conference phones. Features include:
- The industry's first up to 22 kHz CD-quality HD Voice for lifelike clarity and intelligibility.
- Large high resolution display and processing power for IP applications, transforming the conference phone into an applications platform for the conference room. Includes LDAP corporate directory access, three-way visual conferencing in HD Voice and an open XHTML micro-browser for third-party application development and integration. The conferencing application enables users to see the names of the participants and add, delete, mute or place individual callers on hold during the call.
- Multi-unit connectivity with the ability to "daisy-chain" two units, offering greater microphone pickup, louder volume, and multiple call control points within one conference room.
- 20-foot (6-meter) microphone pickup range to hear participants in all corners of the conference room. Even greater coverage is available through optional expansion microphones.
- Seamless integration with Polycom HDX high definition visual communications systems is expected later this year – making launching a high definition video conference as easy as dialing a conference phone.
- Power over Ethernet connectivity1 to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms.
The SoundStation IP 6000 is a price/performance breakthrough for managerial offices and small to midsize conference rooms. With pricing comparable to similar analog conference phones but with much higher acoustic performance and IP functionality, customers who are migrating to SIP-based VoIP technology can now fully leverage the power of their IP infrastructure.
The SoundStation IP 6000 features:
- Polycom HD Voice with up to 14 kHz audio for remarkable clarity and intelligibility.
- 12-foot (3.6-meter) microphone pickup range for full room coverage in offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms, with optional expansion microphones also available.
- High resolution backlit display for vital call information and multi-language support. The platform also supports the delivery of web-based content to the display for third party application development and integration.
- Power over Ethernet connectivity to reduce cable clutter in conference rooms
The new conference phones are being certified with Polycom's more than 25 SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium, Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP Interoperability Partners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visit www.polycom.com/vip.
Pricing and Availability
The Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 is available today through Polycom’s certified channel partners starting at a list price of U.S. $1,299. The Polycom SoundStation IP 6000 will also be available through Polycom’s certified channel partners later this quarter starting at a list price of U.S. $899. For more information, visit www.polycom.com/go/soundstation_ip.
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