In this Networld+Interop interview we visit with Jim Kruger and get a demo of Polycom’s latest incarnation of it’s start of the art video telephones, the VVX 1500C, targeted at mid-market firms (100-500 employees) and the enterprise market.
Networld + Interop Polycom interview
Polycom has partnered with Cisco Systems to bundle these phones with Cisco’s VoIP PBX’s, branded UCS (Unified Communications Server) by Cisco. Microsoft and Nortel compete with Cisco+Polycom in this space. Microsoft calls their offering “OCS”, encompassing a suite of enterprise-class VoIP/IM communications tools.
Much has been made in the press about the potential “VoIP clash” between goliaths Cisco and Microsoft (note: Cisco just joined the Dow 30 today, replacing GM – that’s definitely Goliath territory!). StartupTrek’s observation would be that to date, Cisco has been wildly successful in selling VoIP systems, while Microsoft is still in the starting gates, so to speak.
Here’s part 1 of our 2-part interview withi Mr. Kruger:
In the second video below (shot before the demo video posted above) Jim fills us in on a new product announcement, Polycom’s relationship with VoIP/PBX OEM’s, their alliance with Cisco Systems, and shares some insights on the evolution of desktop voice+video: