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110 video classrooms in 47 school districts help ensure K-12 students are taught robust curricula despite millions in Kansas education budget cuts

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Apr 10, 2012 : Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in open standards-based unified communications (UC), today announced that the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center at Greenbush has equipped 110 classrooms with Polycom® RealPresence® video as an innovative way to enhance the educational experience of more than 55,000 students, staff, administrators, and lifelong learners in Kansas and three other states.

"Kansas is very rural and students in smaller communities do not have access to the same learning activities that are available to kids in more affluent urban areas," said Lisa Blair, Director of Student Learning at Greenbush. "We turned to Polycom's video collaboration solution to create a distance learning program, enabling educational opportunities for students in these rural areas. Deploying RealPresence video systems in the classrooms and the RealPresence Platform in the network, school districts can now pool their resources and deliver innovative and enriching content to students. Budget cuts have left rural schools with very basic offerings, but through distance learning we're able to provide advanced and elective classes." Kansas, like many states, has lost more than 250 teachers statewide in the last few years due to education budget cuts. Distance learning helps provide quality educational opportunities for students despite the loss in funds and services.

Polycom is the video collaboration standard in the state of Kansas. Polycom-based distance learning classes are offered daily at elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the state. Greenbush offers a large number of elementary academic programs that help students learn and help schools meet rigorous standards in science, math, and social studies. Staff and administrative meetings are also held on the Greenbush Interactive Distance Learning Network. School districts have realized significant cost savings by offering teacher training and professional development via live video. In total, 55,000 to 60,000 individuals participate in events on the Greenbush network every year. The network extends beyond Kansas, delivering educational opportunities to students in Arkansas, Missouri, and Ohio.

Carol Woolbright, past director of the Greenbush Network and current director of the Chinese Language Program, explained that the decision to standardize on Polycom was based on a number of factors, including ease of use, and the efficiency and flexibility of the overall Polycom solution. The video systems integrate with a wide range of teaching tools including DVD players, overhead document cameras, multiple stereo audio sources, and computer and Internet-based content. Instructors can record and archive their lessons for on-demand access by students for review or make-up, which is enabled by the video content management capabilities of the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform.

One of the most impactful classes made possible through distance learning is Mandarin Chinese. The program started with 32 students in 2006 and is now at more than 1,100. "Mandarin Chinese has been a very successful program," says Karen Duling, principal of Pray Woodman Elementary in Maize, Kansas. "Without Polycom distance learning, we would not be able to offer this class. Our test scores show that this isn't just a culture lesson, these children are actually acquiring a second language through distance learning."

Woolbright and the Chinese language team are now looking at integrating tablet technology into Greenbush's distance learning environment to better teach Class 4 languages like Chinese and Arabic whose alphabet is different from English. Woolbright sees tremendous potential for Polycom® RealPresence® Mobile video, which allows teachers and students to take distance learning classes from anywhere, turning the entire world into a video and education hot spot.

About Polycom

Polycom is the global leader in open standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for telepresence, video, and voice powered by the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform. The RealPresence Platform interoperates with the broadest range of business, mobile, and social applications and devices. More than 400,000 organizations trust Polycom solutions to collaborate and meet face to face from any location for more productive and effective engagement with colleagues, partners, customers, specialists, and prospects. Polycom, together with its broad partner ecosystem, provides customers with the best total cost of ownership, interoperability, scalability, and security for video collaboration, whether on-premises, hosted, or cloud delivered. 

© 2012 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. POLYCOM®, the Polycom "Triangles" logo, and the names and marks associated with Polycom's products are trademarks and/or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are registered and/or common law marks in the United States and various other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

• Polycom® RealPresence® videoconferencing systems implemented in courts and isolation wards throughout the Russian Federation from Kaliningrad to Sakhalin Island

• More than 600,000 criminal cases have been examined via videoconferencing, averaging 800 cases per day

• Courts of general jurisdiction plan to expand the investments in video systems several times over the next five years

MOSCOW - Mar 20, 2012 : Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC), has provided videoconferencing systems to equip the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation for use in trials and prisoner sentencing. More than 1,000 Polycom® RealPresence® video systems have been installed in courts of general jurisdiction and investigative isolation wards since 1999. Using Polycom video collaboration, the Courts of general jurisdiction have examined more than 600,000 criminal cases, an average of 800 cases per day. By conducting examinations over video and eliminating the need for people to travel and be physically present, the Supreme Court saves RUB 1.5 billion (U.S. $50.5 million) of state funds annually on prison transfers of the accused to court and back.

"The most important benefits of implementing Polycom RealPresence solutions are the significant cost and time savings coupled with the reliability of the technology," explains Andrey German, head of the group in charge of videoconferencing systems for the Legal Informatization Office of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. "These benefits are made all the more important as they directly relate to people's lives."

The Court uses video technologies for a number of judicial sessions including consultations, meetings with the President and Government of the Russian Federation, and communication among lawyers and relatives of the accused. Polycom's video solutions provide the highest levels of communication security and safety necessary for court operations, as well as the audio-visual quality needed to clearly discern people's expressions and the minutest of gestures. Sometimes in a Court situation, however, the visual quality needs to be intentionally degraded so that people remain anonymous.

In addition to the 1,000 Polycom video systems, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation also uses the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform – the most comprehensive software infrastructure for video collaboration – to manage its video network. The Supreme Court's plans of equipping its departments with videoconferencing systems include installing more than 3,000 additional video systems in district courts all over the country in 2013-2017.

"Polycom video solutions allow tribunals to solve several important problems at the same time including accelerating the decision-making process on any case while dramatically reducing the overall costs of running a court system," said Sergey Khomyakov, Russian country manager, Polycom. "Our video systems are truly helping to revolutionize the Russian judicial system and we're excited about the impact we're having on people's lives even in this difficult environment."

The advantages of videoconferencing in the Russian judiciary system were immediately noticed by many other countries. Examples of this include permanent visits of delegations from different countries to Russia to learn from the experience of using information technologies in the Russian judiciary system. In the world judiciary practice, videoconferencing was used only for specific applications of justice, mainly for the hearing of witness testimonies and communication between the accused with lawyers and relatives. But only in Russia, in 1999, was videoconference first applied directly during a trial.

Note to editors

The videoconferencing setup in the Supreme Court includes the following solutions: Polycom® HDX® Room series; and the Polycom RealPresence Platform, which includes the Polycom® RealPresence® Collaboration Server (Polycom® RMX® series) with licences for 80 people and Polycom® RealPresence® Resource Manager (CMA™ series), enabling scheduling and management of the video network.

About Polycom

Polycom is the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for telepresence, video, and voice powered by the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform. The RealPresence Platform interoperates with the broadest range of business, mobile, and social applications and devices. More than 400,000 organizations trust Polycom solutions to collaborate and meet face to face from any location for more productive and effective engagement with colleagues, partners, customers, specialists, and prospects. Polycom, together with its broad partner ecosystem, provides customers with the best TCO, scalability, and security for video collaboration, whether on-premises, hosted, or cloud delivered. 

About the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation

The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is the highest judicial body for civil, criminal, administrative and other cases in the framework of jurisdiction of courts of general jurisdiction. It was established in 1922 in accordance with the resolution of VTsIK RSFSR. Nowadays its structure includes Plenum, Presidium, and 5 boards – Board of Appeals, Military Board and three judicial boards.

© 2012 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. POLYCOM®, the Polycom "Triangles" logo, and the names and marks associated with Polycom's products are trademarks and/or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are registered and/or common law marks in the United States and various other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Solutionz releases a free Polycom HDX Remote Control app that pairs with multiple HDX systems and offers a service option.

LOS ANGELES, CA, February 27, 2012 – Solutionz Conferencing, Inc., a leading total conferencing provider of video conferencing, telepresence, UC, audio visual integrations, bridging and managed services, and grant services, today announced the App Store's approval of their new app, the Polycom HDX Remote Control.

The Polycom HDX Remote Control enables users to use their iPhone/iPad/iPod in place of the standard HDX remote to control a Polycom HDX video conferencing system. The app enables users to control both their system and the far end system's camera. This app is an upgrade from the current HDX remote that is available on the App Store as it has the additional ability to pair with multiple HDX systems, as well as the ability to request service help with the click of a button.

Solutionz' Polycom HDX Remote Control app even has an added benefit for current Solutionz Prime Call service customers as it enables customers to directly open a trouble ticket.

The Polycom HDX Remote Control is a free app powered by Solutionz Conferencing, Inc. and is sponsored by Polycom. To download the new Polycom HDX Remote Control app now, visit the App Store at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/solutionz-conferencing-polycom/id501925368?ls=1&mt=8

To view a demo video of this innovative and valuable app, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ma-igUbmP4

About Solutionz

Solutionz Conferencing, Inc. is a nationwide total conferencing provider specializing in end-to-end video and voice communications, UC, audio visual integration, bridging and managed services, and grant services, delivering the promise of face-to-face meetings regardless of distance.

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Feb 22, 2012 :Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC), today unveiled the new Polycom® KIRK® Butterfly Handset Series of stylish and colorful wireless phones for office environments. The affordable handsets add to the Polycom® KIRK® family of Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) handsets, which for years have been used in healthcare, manufacturing, retail and other demanding work environments.

The new Polycom KIRK Butterfly series features best-in-class voice quality and call reliability, and interoperability with major IP PBX systems and soon Microsoft® Lync™ (in the process of Microsoft qualification). The handsets interoperate with all of the Polycom® KIRK® Wireless Servers, which can support small businesses to enterprise systems. The handsets feature a newly designed user interface, including a 4-way navigation key with icons, which makes the handsets easy for employees to operate, while also shortening response time and streamlining workflow.

The modular nature of the Polycom KIRK solution, which pairs Polycom KIRK handsets with one or more Polycom KIRK Wireless Servers, allows customers to support their business needs by easily expanding coverage, voice traffic, and number of users. This makes it ideal for businesses of all sizes to improve employee productivity, mobility, reaction time, and personal safety.

Industry analysts report that mobility solutions, such as DECT phones, are becoming essential to the competitiveness of today's organizations. And, support for technologies such as Internet protocol (IP) and session initiation protocol (SIP), are aiding market growth of DECT phones worldwide. Frost and Sullivan anticipates DECT telephony among global enterprises to grow to $575 million in 2017 with a CAGR of 11.6 percent.1

"Polycom's KIRK Butterfly Handset Series is a dramatic new entrant to a market that wants great value, style and customization without sacrificing the exceptional quality and reliability that they've come to expect from the Polycom and KIRK brands," said Sten Dyrmose, general manager, wireless solutions, Polycom.

New Series Delivers Design at Its Best

Packed with the most popular telephone features used in office environments, the attractive new butterfly-shaped handsets offer design at its best in several ways.

• Each handset features a soft-to-the-touch casing available in five vibrant colors so customers can choose the color that complements their logo or brand identity, or combine different colors to designate separate workgroups or departments. A matching accessory combines a desk stand and belt clip to maximize individual usage options.
• The Polycom KIRK Butterfly series supports analog or Voice over IP environments (VoIP) – or a combination of both – while Polycom's growing list of Polycom VoIP Field Verified Partners ensures that the new handsets have been verified to work with a broad suite of leading PBX systems.
• With support for open industry protocols, the new series can also be used with the full range of existing Polycom KIRK handsets and KIRK Wireless Server Solutions.
• In conjunction with Polycom KIRK Wireless Servers, the handsets can scale from four to more than 4,000 users.

"The features of the Polycom KIRK Butterfly handset, such as the enhanced user interface and smart accessories, make the device very user friendly," said Cor Heide, CEO, Tiptel b.v., a Netherlands-based distributor that supplies VoIP, ISDN and analogue communication equipment for consumer and business markets. "The modern design combined with the competitive price point makes the handset a very attractive option for companies who are interested in expanding their DECT solutions."

Polycom KIRK Wireless Servers

For Internet telephony service providers (ITSP), the new series from Polycom provides a unique competitive edge because it can be paired with the Polycom KIRK Wireless Server 300 to create a feature-rich yet cost-effective solution for SMB hosted environments. The Polycom KIRK Wireless Server 300 includes provisioning, maintenance, supervision and dedicated ITSP provisioning guides.

Using the Polycom KIRK Wireless Server 6000, the handsets will be able to be easily added to large enterprise installations that are using Microsoft Lync (pending Microsoft qualification), allowing customers to mix the Polycom KIRK Butterfly handsets with other Polycom KIRK products, such as the high-end professional handsets and vertical industry-specific handsets that were designed specifically for workers in manufacturing, healthcare and other rugged environments.

Pricing and Availability

The Polycom KIRK Butterfly Handset Series will be available in North America, Europe, and Australia in 30 days starting at US$165. For more information, contact 1-800-POLYCOM.

About Polycom

Polycom is the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for telepresence, video, and voice, powered by the Polycom® RealPresence™ Platform. The RealPresence Platform interoperates with the broadest range of business, mobile and social applications and devices. More than 400,000 organizations trust Polycom solutions to collaborate and meet face to face from any location for more productive and effective engagement with colleagues, partners, customers and prospects. Polycom, together with its broad partner ecosystem, provides customers with the best TCO, scalability, and security – on-premises, hosted or cloud delivered.

1Frost & Sullivan, "Global Enterprise VoWLAN Single-mode and DECT Phone Market," September 2011

NOTE: The product plans, specifications, and descriptions herein are provided for information only and subject to change without notice, and are provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied. Polycom reserves the right to modify future product plans at any time. Products and related specifications referenced herein are not guaranteed and will be delivered on a when and if available basis.

London - 14 Feb 2012 : Polycom Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC), is helping NHS Lothian to improve health services internally and with other health boards across South East Scotland. Over the last 18 months, NHS Lothian and Polycom have created a highly collaborative working environment built around Polycom HD video solutions. Using video to conference face-to-face over long distances, rather than having to be there in person, benefits staff with improved efficiency, benefits patients with greater convenience, and benefits the health board as a whole with substantial cost savings.

To date, Lothian has deployed seven Polycom® RealPresence™ Immersive Solutions and ten Polycom Practitioner carts in areas such as neonatal care, stroke consultations and healthcare support in prisons. These solutions have already helped NHS Lothian make significant savings in operational costs – for example, running one particular meeting via videoconferencing solutions saved £1,600 in travel expenses alone.

NHS Lothian is responsible for patients in a geographically dispersed area, providing care for people living in Edinburgh, East Lothian, Mid Lothian and West Lothian and providing a range of regional and national services which cover patients across Scotland. In particular, the health board works closely with NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries and Galloway. The health board has around 27,000 staff, 200 sites and three A&E departments, making it the second largest in Scotland.

The health board had previously used videoconferencing for internal meetings typically in conference rooms, but staff felt the technology could be used in a more collaborative and flexible way for consultants and the treatment of patients. NHS Lothian chose Polycom because of the superior quality of Polycom video.

Iain Robertson, head of IT infrastructure and operations at NHS Lothian, said: "We have a number of partnerships with technology organisations, and it is important that these are two-way relationships. Not only does Polycom have the right technical solutions, it has an incredibly experienced healthcare team offering a complete service solution.

"We made the right decision in choosing Polycom, and the results speak for themselves. We have kept all of our original meeting rooms and we now have the ability to connect to remote teams. We are more connected than ever, with the ability to use voice, video, unified communications and telepresence all in one call," said Robertson.

"NHS Lothian is realising the full benefits of truly unified communications built around HD video collaboration," said Andrew Graley, director of healthcare, Polycom EMEA. "Residents in Lothian and across the South East of Scotland can now communicate with healthcare professionals like never before – encouraging a self-service approach to health. Together with the cost and environmental savings from video collaboration, NHS Lothian is on to a winning formula."

NHS Lothian is using the videoconferencing systems for a number of different activities including:

• Hosting case meetings in the Regional Cancer Centre and connecting geographically dispersed clinicians working remotely to help them feel engaged and share information. Patients are also invited to speak to experts in Edinburgh in cases where travel is not possible.
• Providing more access to ground-breaking medical centres like the Clinical Sleep Services Centre in Edinburgh. Patients can go to the centre for an initial visit and then connect with medical staff via videoconferencing for follow-up sessions.
• Running physiotherapy classes across Lothian, so patients don't have to travel to Edinburgh for a class but can connect with experts via video
• Improving communication and collaboration between the NHS Lothian executive team and other local authorities to help share best practice and expertise
• Providing training and support for staff to help transfer expert knowledge across Lothian

Notes to Editors

** Polycom® RealPresence™ Experience (RPX™) Series

A fully immersive solution, the Polycom RPX™ series delivers the ultimate meeting experience, with an all-inclusive meeting environment that brings HD video, audio and content-sharing to a cinematic video wall. The technology is cutting-edge and so simple to use, it allows you to focus purely on the visual quality of face-to-face conversations that are as lifelike and natural as if you were in the same room.

**Polycom® Practitioner Cart™ HDX®

Unit Polycom Practitioner Cart mobile healthcare solutions transform a roomful of technology into a simple, mobile workstation to bring high-definition video, audio and image-sharing to medical professionals and patients no matter where they are located.

About Polycom

Polycom is the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for telepresence, video, and voice powered by the Polycom RealPresence Platform. The RealPresence Platform interoperates with the broadest range of business, mobile, and social applications and devices. More than 400,000 organizations trust Polycom solutions to collaborate and meet face-to-face from any location for more productive and effective engagement with colleagues, partners, customers, and prospects. Polycom, together with its broad partner ecosystem, provides customers with the best TCO, scalability, and security – on-premises, hosted, or cloud delivered. 

NOTE: The product plans, specifications and descriptions herein are provided for information only and subject to change without notice, and are provided without warranty of any kind, express or implied.

By Chad Berndtson, CRN

Solutionz Conferencing, a Brentwood, Calif.-based integrator and specialist in videoconferencing, unified communications and managed services, named a former president of Polycom's Americas region to be its new chief operating officer.

Thomas B. Johnston, known as Brad, will lead Solutionz's business development, strategic planning and sales execution. Pepper Fernandez, Solutionz' CEO, cited Johnston's UC experience as a "tremendous" asset to the company.

"His ability to lead with integrity and excellence has left an indelible mark in the space and I look forward to the momentum and resulting growth his acceptance promises," Fernandez said in a statement.

Johnston has spent more than 24 years in the communications space. He became president, Polycom Americas, in July 2009, and ran Polycom's sales, engineering and channels organizations in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean and Latin America regions for more than two years.

Earlier his career, Johnston was president, Americas, of Polycom archrival Tandberg, which was in 2010 acquired by Cisco (NSDQ:CSCO). From 1998 he worked at Cisco as operations director, and before then, he had been at AT&T since 1978, and was also general manager of the enterprise sales and service division of Lucent Technologies starting in 1996.

[Related: The 25 Blockbuster Channel Executive Moves of 2011]

Johnston left Polycom in the fall of 2011, and his role is now split between David Ruggiero, who joined Polycom in October 2011 as Theater President, North America, and Hansjoerg Wagner, who became Polycom's senior vice president, global field operations in May, and who now runs Polycom's APAC and CALA businesses.

While Polycom experiences broad executive turnover, Johnston's move also puts him among several notable Polycom alumni now with solution provider partners specializing in video, as well as with emerging videoconferencing vendors.

David Phillips, who was senior vice president, worldwide sales at Polycom until February 2009, is now president and COO of Eatontown, N.J.-based Yorktel, for example, while Jim Fairweather, who was vice president, North America & U.S. sales at Polycom until 2009 and later went to HP (NYSE:HPQ), became Vidyo's vice president, worldwide channels in August 2011.

 

To view the original article click here.

Thomas B. Johnston, former President, Polycom Americas appointed as COO to drive the company’s business development, strategic planning, and sales execution

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 06, 2012 — Solutionz Conferencing, Inc., a leading total conferencing provider of video conferencing, telepresence, UC, audio visual integrations, bridging and managed services, and grant services, today announced the appointment of former President, Polycom Americas, Thomas B. Johnston, who brings twenty four years of experience to Solutionz, as COO.

Johnston will lead Solutionz’ business expansion and will be responsible for business development, strategic planning, and sales execution in healthcare, education, government, commercial, and other industries.

“Brad’s extensive experience in the Unified Communications market will be a tremendous asset to Solutionz. His ability to lead with integrity and excellence has left an indelible mark in the space and I look forward to the momentum and resulting growth his acceptance promises,” said Pepper Fernandez, CEO of Solutionz.

Johnston is a distinguished team builder, innovator, and leader of transformation change in the telecommunications, video, and internetworking industries. Starting a long and notable career in 1978, Johnston held numerous sales leadership roles of increasing scope and size at AT&T. In 1996 he was named General Manager of AT&T’s spin off, Lucent Technologies’ Enterprise Sales and Service Division, where he was responsible for serving government and commercial customers in eight western states. In 1998 Johnston joined Cisco Systems as the Operations Director and participated in the early launch of Cisco’s VOIP strategy. In 2002 he joined TANDBERG (acquired by Cisco in 2010) as President, TANDBERG Americas where he developed, implemented, and executed TANDBERG’s North American distribution strategy. In July 2009 Johnston joined Polycom as President, Polycom Americas where he was responsible for Polycom’s sales, engineering, and channels organizations serving customers in the United States, Canada, and CALA regions.

Johnston’s appointment as COO of Solutionz is effective today, February 6, 2012.

About Solutionz

Solutionz Conferencing, Inc. is a nationwide total conferencing provider specializing in end-to-end video and voice communications, UC, audio visual integration, bridging and managed services, and grant services, delivering the promise of face-to-face meetings regardless of distance.

Polycom® RealPresence™ Mobile Links Tablets to Immersive Video Rooms, Group/Desktop Systems, and Laptops, Offering Unsurpassed Video/Voice Quality, Security, Flexibility, and Reliability in Face-to-Face Video Collaboration

As Organizations Move from Analog to VoIP, the Versatile Polycom® SoundStation Duo™ Conference Phone Protects Investments by Operating in Both Environments

• Polycom RealPresence Platform interoperates with broadest range of business, video, mobile and social networking applications.
• China's MOST uses video collaboration for 175 conferences, across 20 provinces, saving US$320,000.