Poly

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Sep 14, 2011 : Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in standards-based unified communications (UC), today unveiled a software strategy to bring secure HD video collaboration to the broadest range of business, video, mobile, and social networking applications through standards-based infrastructure delivered on-premises, hosted, or with service providers from the "video cloud." Polycom believes this strategy will redefine the unified communications market, accelerate the adoption of Polycom software (from infrastructure to the edge), and establish Polycom as the default choice of customers and partners for open UC and HD video collaboration solutions that work together seamlessly across any application, protocol, call control system, or end point. The software strategy is a key component of Polycom's growth strategy with the objective of growing revenue from the company's current run rate of approximately $1.5 billion to $3 billion in the next few years.

 

Polycom's software strategy spans four key initiatives:

Fundamental to Polycom's strategy is a commitment to open standards-based interoperability across all of the elements in a communications environment, including multiple solutions, vendors, networks, and connection protocols. This gives customers the freedom to choose best-of-breed solutions for instant messaging, presence, call control, Web conferencing, video collaboration, mobile, and social video, from any of hundreds of different vendors, with assurance that the solutions will:

"Polycom is known for the innovative solutions that have been powering business communications for nearly 20 years and our software is at the core of enabling a highly differentiated customer experience," said Andy Miller, president and CEO, Polycom. "Moving forward, Polycom software will be increasingly present in desktop, mobile, and social networking platforms as Polycom captures the fast-growing demand for HD video collaboration that is open, secure, and integrated into each customer's work and social environment. From the cloud infrastructure, to group environments, to the fixed and mobile edge, customers who choose Polycom will have peace of mind knowing that Polycom's software solutions are a living investment that adapts as needs change without requiring them to rip and replace entire UC structures. By putting the 'unified' in unified communications, Polycom offers customers open, best-in-class UC solutions that dramatically change the way they work, communicate, and collaborate."

 

The first initiative of Polycom's strategy is to orchestrate broad partner interoperability around Polycom's open software platform, which has been ongoing for over a year. The Polycom® RealPresence™ Platform (formerly referred to as the UC Intelligent Core™) today delivers the industry's only universal bridging software that supports up to 75,000 device registrations and 25,000 concurrent sessions (see related release, "Polycom Introduces Polycom® RealPresence™ Platform, the Most Comprehensive Software Infrastructure for Universal Video Collaboration"). The platform includes universal video collaboration, video resource management, virtualization, universal access and security, and video content management.

 

Polycom already provides developer APIs for many of its devices, and will extend its APIs to the Polycom RealPresence Platform to enable developers, partners, and service providers to integrate business applications, billing, scheduling, directory, management, monitoring, and other functions with the platform. Through the APIs, customers can drive deeper integration into their environments, and service providers can differentiate their offerings by customizing solutions with Polycom. The Polycom Developer Program includes full API documentation, sample code, access to test and demo systems, and developer support. Field trials for the Polycom Developer Program are set to begin by year end, with availability projected in 1H 2012.

 

Video is on its way to reaching similar penetration and user numbers as HD audio, and mobile video and social video will dramatically increase this trend. With video cameras embedded in tablets, PCs, and mobile phones, mobile video is already experiencing explosive growth with the number of people participating in video chats forecast to grow 14 times, from about 10 million today to more than 140 million by 20151. Social video such as on-demand video chat within business and consumer social sites—has the potential to be the next killer app for social networking.

 

Polycom's second strategic initiative is designed to enable customers to communicate securely over video through mobile devices, tablets, and on social platforms. Leveraging the Polycom RealPresence Platform, customers can communicate over video with a tablet back into their enterprise video network to connect with co-workers, customers, or partners.