Author Relies on Telepresence to Engage With Leaders of Tomorrow at North Carolina's Acclaimed A.B. Combs Elementary School

Global Agreement to Drive Business-to-Business Usage of Polycom UC Solutions Through BT Managed Services and MPLS Network

The bad blood was rumored to be at a slow boil. But when Hewlett-Packard Co. announced last month it would buy the long-forgotten networking company 3Com Corp., it was official. H-P and Cisco are no longer friends.

The billionaire founder of Galleon Group denies charges of insider trading and attacks the government’s use of wiretaps in its investigation of the hedge-fund firm.

Verizon's new Telehealth Collaboration Services aim to make video conferencing a major tool for medical professionals

Polycom breaks new ground with software collaboration and global support for BT's managed videoconferencing service

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Large telecom companies like AT&T Inc. (T) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) are starting to see the value video conferencing companies like Polycom, Inc. (PLCM) and CoroWare, Inc. (COWI) as evidenced by recent contracts and acquisitions in the sector. After decades of losses and several failed attempts, video conferencing is finally making its way to businesses [...]

Merger and acquisition activities are heating up in the unified collaborative solutions market that provides videoconferencing. Prompted by the severe economic downturn, business enterprises on a global basis are restricting travel budgets to control costs. This makes high-definition telepresence solutions a cost-induced alternative in an increasingly interactive world. This market stands to gain in the [...]

(CSCO) Merger and Acquisition in Videoconferencing Market

Merger and acquisition activities are heating up in the unified collaborative solutions market that provides videoconferencing. Prompted by the severe economic downturn, business enterprises on a global basis are restricting travel budgets to control costs. This makes high-definition telepresence solutions a cost-induced alternative in an increasingly interactive world. This market stands to gain in the near future since enterprises, governments, and educational institutions are increasingly recognizing the productivity-enhancing benefits of video conferencing.

Yesterday, Cisco System Inc. (CSCO) raised its acquisition price to $3.41 billion for Tandberg ASA, the largest videoconferencing product maker in the world with around 35% market share. Cisco itself is a developer of high-end videoconferencing solutions, which mainly comprises custom-designed digital boardrooms for executives and boards to hold global meetings. The merged entity will definitely be a much bigger player in the industry. On Nov 10, computer accessories maker Logitech International SA (LOGI) announced that the company will purchase privately held LifeSize Communications Inc, a developer of high-end high-definition videoconferencing gear for $405 million.

Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) another major player in this field has decided to acquire 3Com Corp. (COMS) for $2.7 billion. This acquisition will strengthen Hewlett-Packard’s videoconferencing solutions beside its IP-based data center related solutions. Virtual desktop maker Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) has recently strengthened its web conferencing solutions by adding integrated toll-free audio services for its GoToMeeting Corporate and GoToWebinar product-lines.

As of now, Polycom Inc. (PLCM), the second largest videoconferencing solutions developer in the world with an estimated 30% market share, remains the only pure play unified collaborative solutions provider which is yet to collaborate with another company. To cope with the competitive threat, Polycom has decided to strengthen its existing business agreements with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and resellers in the telecom industry.

We believe, in the long-run, the videoconferencing solutions market will see healthy demand as a result of several positive industry trends, including globalization and the proliferation of branch offices; concerns about time demand and high cost of travel; homeland security and other government initiatives; as well as distance learning and healthcare applications. According to Gartner Inc, the video conferencing market will grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 17.8% between 2008 and 2013, rising from $3.8 billion to reach $8.6 billion.
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Ever since I first covered Polycom (NASDAQ:PLCM) two years ago, I have speculated about consolidation in the sector. Videoconferencing has gained importance due to globalization, offshoring, the financial crisis and the attendant recession, and the need to save more in travel dollars. Now there is...

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In October of this year, Polycom took part in a major Telepresence interoperability test through the Internet2 advanced networking consortium. Stefan Karapetkov, Polycom’s Emerging Technologies Director, was there at every step to document the successes and challenges of completing this major telepresence milestone. For this episode of Polycom on Demand, Stefan shares his ‘lessons [...]

In what is a pretty cool display of engineering prowess, Polycom has developed the VVX 1500, which is the first business media phone that combines IP telephony, one-touch video, plus access to your data/business apps. For the inside scoop on what the VVX 1500 is all about, this episode of Polycom on Demand features our conversation [...]

While Polycom aims to make using its equipment as easy as possible, we recognize implementing a video conference or telepresence system for the first time can be a bit intimidating. And even for those customers with years of experience, the idea of learning about best practices in the use of video conferencing can be helpful [...]

If you believe that your employees are your most valuable resource, it stands to reason that you must invest in these very important people if you expect them to be as productive as possible and to stick around both in good times and bad. This leads us to having a conversation about “distance learning”, and how [...]

The President’s Stimulus Package, which is officially referred to as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, has generated a fair amount of confusion among Polycom customers qualified to receive funding. To help us understand the specifics of the Stimulus Package as it relates to our customers, this episode of Polycom on Demand features the [...]