MetaSwitch Customers Adopt HD Voice and High-Quality Video Communications with the Polycom VVX 1500 Business Media Phone

Nextera Communications eager to deploy the Polycom VVX 1500 to improve collaboration, streamline communications, boost productivity, and reduce travel

 

MetaSwitch Forum 2009, Las Vegas, NV: April 8, 2009. Polycom, Inc. [Nasdaq: PLCM], the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice communications solutions, and MetaSwitch, the leader in reliable, high-quality carrier IP communications solutions, are teaming to deliver the Polycom VVXTM 1500 Business Media Phone to MetaSwitch customers worldwide. MetaSwitch offers its customers the full line of Polycom SoundPoint® IP desk phones and recently added the VVX 1500 to its product portfolio. With the addition of the VVX 1500, MetaSwitch is bringing to market its first-ever visual communication solution, augmenting the HD Voice capabilities of the Polycom phones.

The VVX 1500 is the only business media phone to combine a personal video conferencing system with a fully featured voice over IP (VoIP) telephone with Polycom HD VoiceTM, an intuitive color touch-screen interface, and an open application programming interface (API) and a microbrowser for real-time delivery of personalized Web content as well as integration with key business applications.

MetaSwitch customer Nextera Communications will be one of the first companies to deploy the VVX 1500 as part of its MetaSwitch-based Hosted IP PBX product line. According to Greg Arvig, president of Nextera, the company can see the benefits of high quality voice and video communications as a productive, economical advantage for the ever-increasing amount of geographically diverse businesses.

"There's no question that the clarity of telephone conversations has greatly improved by offering Polycom HD Voice products," said Arvig. "With the addition of the VVX 1500, we will also be able to offer a collaboration tool for increased customer efficiency. Customers will not only clearly and concisely hear every word being said, but can launch video calls with the simple touch of the screen, allowing for face-to-face communications regardless of where their colleagues are based."

According to research firm In-Stat, the business media phone market will grow to nearly 10 million units shipped worldwide, generating more than U.S. $3 billion. With more than 20 million subscriber capacity shipped worldwide, MetaSwitch is well positioned to meet this demand. MetaSwitch enables its channel partners to host business-class phone system features for standards-based Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones. Polycom is the leading provider of standards-based IP phones, with a range of solutions for the desktop, conference room and employees who require mobility within the workplace.

"As our customers move to enhance their unified communications networks, the demand for video communications continues to grow," said Andy Randall, vice president of marketing at MetaSwitch. "The Polycom VVX 1500 provides high quality voice and video communications with the ability to also integrate with key business processes and applications."

"Polycom and MetaSwitch are teaming to help our customers better leverage their communication systems to improve productivity and reduce costs," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of Voice Communications Solutions at Polycom. "Together with MetaSwitch, we're able to deliver innovative, intuitive products like the VVX 1500 to market in order to help our customers work more efficiently and improve their bottom line. We're delighted that MetaSwitch is adding the VVX 1500 to its product offerings."

The Polycom VVX 1500 will be on display at this week's MetaSwitch Forum 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas (Polycom booth no. 321). Additionally, Chalan Aras, vice president of product management for Polycom Voice Communications Solutions, will present a session entitled "Voice, Video and Beyond" at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 8.

Availability & Pricing

The Polycom VVX 1500 will be available to MetaSwitch customers through Polycom's and MetaSwitch's channel partner network at a list price of U.S. $1,099. To learn more about the Polycom VVX 1500, visit www.polycom.com/vvx1500.

About MetaSwitch

MetaSwitch is a leading provider of carrier systems and software solutions that are powering the migration of communications networks to open, packet-based architectures. Hundreds of network operators worldwide depend on its Carrier Division for reliable, scalable session control, media gateway and application/feature server solutions to enable compelling revenue-generating services. Its Network Protocols Division, marketed under the Data Connection brand (www.dataconnection.com), develops high performance, portable software components that are integrated into the products of the world's leading communications equipment manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.metaswitch.com.

About Polycom

Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM) is the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Please visit www.polycom.com for more information.