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Polycom

Manufacturer of Digital Telephones for use on PBX Networks

Polycom entered the video conferencing market in 1998. Polycom introduced the ViewStation product line which included models with embedded multipoint capabilities, content sharing capabilities, and support for the emerging H.323 IP network protocol. In 2000, Polycom introduced a personal desktop video conferencing appliance called ViaVideo. The compact device was essentially a webcam with onboard processing capabilities, to offset the compute limitations of most desktop and laptop computers at the time. As computer processing power increased, Polycom transitioned the desktop solution to a software-based client called Polycom PVX.

In February 2001, Polycom acquired Accord Networks, which offered the MGC-100 line. In October 2001, Polycom acquired PictureTel.

In 2006, Polycom introduced its first high definition video conferencing system. Soon after, Polycom announced the Polycom RealPresence Experience (RPX) immersive telepresence solution, a room-within-a-room telepresence environment based on the design by Destiny Conferencing (formerly TeleSuites) which Polycom acquired Destiny Conferencing in January 2007.

In February 2007, Polycom introduced a new bridge platform called RMX 2000 designed to support high definition and telepresence applications. Polycom also expanded its telepresence and HD video product lines in 2007 with the Polycom Telepresence Experience solutions, and new executive desktop solutions, expanded its line of room-based conference rooms.

In 2008, Polycom delivered the Polycom Converged Management Application (CMA) a video network and system management application for provisioning and managing video networks. The CMA includes an application for broadscale desktop video called CMA Desktop. Later that year, Polycom introduced the Distributed Media Application (DMA) 7000, a network-based application that manages and distributes multipoint video calls within an enterprise network environment.

Toward the end of 2008, Polycom also announced its plans to support higher resolution – 1080p and 720p at 60 frames per second (same frame rate as TV) – across its visual communication product line (endpoints, telepresence solutions and infrastructure solutions).

During 2010, Polycom introduced a new immersive telepresence solution, the Polcom Open Telepresence Experience (OTX 300) providing collaboration including 1080p, using half the bandwidth of other comparable systems.

Polycom Audio and Voice

The first SoundStation conference phone shipped in 1992. The original SoundStation was followed by versions offering extended performance (SoundStation Premier, Premier Satellite, SoundStation EX). The SoundStation first shipped internationally (to the UK) in 1993, followed by other products and an expanding list of countries.

The SoundStation was superseded by the SoundStation 2 in 2004 when AT&T discontinued its DSP16A processor on which the SoundStation was based. Due to technological advancements during the nearly 10-year period, the SoundStation 2 exhibited more features and sound transparency, although still limited to 3 kHz audio bandwidth due to its conventional analog POTS connection. At this time, it was also supplemented by the SoundStation 2W wireless speakerphone, which was a DECT system (WDCT in North America), and by the SoundStation VTX1000 wired speakerphone, the first such speakerphone capable of 7 kHz audio operation over conventional POTS telephone lines.

In December 2001, Polycom acquired ASPI networks, a company specializing in installed voice systems. Polycom worked with a large number of audio visual integrators offering its Vortex product. In 2007, Polycom introduced the Vortex successor, the Polycom SoundStructure Series.

In the first quarter of 2001, Polycom introduced its first Voice over IP conference phone, the SoundStation IP 4000. In 2008, the SoundStation IP 6000 and SoundStation IP 7000 models were introduced, both of which offer Polycom's HD Voice and Acoustic Clarity Technology. In 2003, Polycom introduced its first HD Voice product, the SoundStation VTX 1000 conference phone. Polycom HD Voice is wideband audio (audio bandwidth extension to 7, 14, 20, and 22 kHz) offering more than twice the clarity of narrowband voice (3 kHz). In 2006, Polycom introduced its Communicator, the C100S, which was the industry's first wideband speakerphone for a PC.

In 1998, Polycom entered the circuit-switched desktop phone business by introducing a line of its SoundPoint phones. In the third quarter of 2001, Polycom entered the IP desktop phone business by launching the SoundPoint IP 500. Because it does not manufacture its own call server, Polycom has phones use Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to connect to more than 25 different call control platforms. Today, Polycom offers a full line of desktop IP phones from the entry level to a color display, full-featured, HD Voice (first introduced to the SoundPoint line in 2006), applications-enabled phone targeted at executives. The company continues to expand its line of desktop and conferencing solutions.

In 2007, Polycom acquired SpectraLink Corp. in Boulder, Colorado. SpectraLink's product lines consisted of Wi-Fi and proprietary wireless telephone systems as well as the KIRK digital enhanced cordless telephony (DECT) product line.

In 2008, Polycom also added applications enablement to its SoundStation and SoundPoint IP phones. The first product to market was the company's Productivity Suite, which the company currently offers an open API for third-party developers.

In 2009, Polycom introduced two video-enabled products. The VVX 1500 business media phone, which combines a personal video conferencing system with a voice over IP (VoIP) telephone with Polycom HD Voice and an open application programming interface (API) and Web browser for real-time delivery of personalized Web content as well as integration with business applications. It also launched the CX5000 unified conferencing station by licensing the distribution rights for Microsoft Roundtable.


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