Polycom announces new strategic relationship with Microsoft for end-to-end UC

href="http://dqchannels.ciol.com/content/reselleralert/110032503.asp">Polycom
has signed a multi-year,
strategic global agreement with Microsoft to deliver integrated
end-to-end unified communications (UC) and to improve customers'
business productivity. Under the agreement, Polycom plans to develop
and market standards-based UC solutions-encompassing software,
hardware, networking and services-that span the enterprise, SMBs
and government markets. It will enable customers to improve business
productivity and reduce travel, telecom and IT operating costs.

Both the companies share a vision for
business productivity solutions built on standards-based platforms
that work with the tools and applications, which people know and use
today. The companies' strategic agreement is a major step towards
streamlining communications across messaging, video and voice with
connected applications and devices.

“Microsoft and Polycom solutions play
a critical role within our current and future UC strategy,” said
Martin Smale, IT Director, NDS (a news company). “We are already
benefitting from improved collaboration, increased productivity and
significant ROI based on our existing UC network, and we're looking
forward to leverage the expanded offerings from two of our most
valued vendors in the UC space.”

“Our research shows that nearly 70
per cent of the companies considering a UC solution are thinking of
deploying Microsoft Office Communications Server,” said Brent
Kelly, Senior Analyst and Partner at Wainhouse Research. "By
working together, Microsoft and Polycom are making it easier for
organisations to have a true end-to-end UC environment, which
includes high definition video.”

Offering a broad portfolio of
integrated solutions spanning voice, video and application
integration for Microsoft UC, this agreement makes Polycom a member
of Microsoft's key strategic global alliance for the company's UC
business. As part of this long-term strategic agreement, each company
is investing in product development, sales and marketing. Through
resources, investments and strong field engagement, Polycom and
Microsoft will deliver rich, compelling UC solutions, offering
customers the flexibility to deploy features that help them lower
their costs, improve productivity and meet their unique business
needs.

“Microsoft and Polycom are committed
to a roadmap that will deliver interoperable UC solutions with choice
and innovation in video conferencing and customer devices that will
help transform enterprise communications,” said Gurdeep Singh Pall,
Corporate VP-UC, Microsoft. “By integrating video, voice, instant
messaging and conferencing solutions, the companies give customers
ability to be present, anytime, anywhere.”

“These companies deliver a winning
combination to our customers around the globe by delivering seamless,
easy-to-use, high-definition communications at the click of a mouse,”
said Andrew Miller, President and CEO, Polycom.