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A Bevy of Benefits: Polycom Services and Products

As a leading global provider of unified collaborative communications solutions, Polycom, Inc. has already launched its full suite of CX unified communications gadgets on the market. Office professionals working with a Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 will find the system ideal since the CX devices from Polycom were designed to perform compatibly well with the 2007 version.

The launch is happening simultaneously with the release of the Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007 from Microsoft Corporation. Playing on the availability of the CX100 that was announced last August, Polycom is now providing tech consumers with broad support for Office Communications Server 2007 through a considerable number of offering of three voice over IP (VoIP) options: the additional as well as high definition wideband endspoints are the CX200, the CX400 and CX700 models.

Office Communications Server 2007 is able to offer users with streamlined communications. This quality ensures that users are well able to find the right person they may communicate with—quickly and efficiently—from within the swirl of applications that they may resort to. And because there’s no need to shell additional expenses for infrastructure as well as network upgrades, users are in a unique position to take advantage of the world of benefits that streamlined communications afford. This includes software-powered VoIP and Web conferencing. Users may also expect enterprise instant messaging to be part of the set-up. The Office Communications Server 2007, together with Polycom’s CX unified gadgets, will make all these possible—all the while allowing firms to maintain the operational control they call for.

“Polycom is playing a significant role in the deployment of Office Communications Server 2007 to business customers. The CX product family brings added value to PC-based enterprise communications by providing efficient and familiar corded or cordless telephone interfaces to the rich feature set of Office Communicator 2007 and Office Communications Server 2007,” says Kim Akers. At present, Akers is the general manager of Unified Communications Group, at Microsoft Corp. “By aligning with Microsoft’s vision for unified communications, Polycom enables people to find and collaborate with colleagues using the applications they already know and use.”

“Polycom’s innovative CX line of endpoints provides Office Communications Server 2007 users with the comfort and familiarity of a desk phone while allowing them to take full advantage of the presence and click-to-call capabilities Office Communicator 2007 offers,” states Brent Kelly. Kelly is a senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research. “Polycom is already known for its best-in-class IP phones, and these new CX endpoints deliver a high quality voice experience one expects from Polycom via a Microsoft-based interface they are already familiar with.”

Polycom’s CX family is engineered to address a variety of needs that enterprise workers have as they pertain to differing work tasks and chores.

The CX200 Desktop Phone, for one, is a USB peripheral. Intended to work with a Office Communicator 2007, this digital telephone system from Polycom packs along a full duplex speakerphone ideal for hands-free operations, a handset for easy mobility during calls and a large presence status indicator. The CX400 telephone, on the other hand, is a cordless handset packaged with a desktop base station. The base station makes it possible for the unit to link up by way of a USB. The digital telephone in question offers users a presence display so it’ll be easy for them to spot on-line and off-line contacts. It is capable of demonstrating a 10-meter or 30-foot wireless operational range, and can reach up to 10 hours of talk time.

Polycom’s CX700 IP Phone is an executive standalone VoIP IP telephone that comes along with presence as well as directory features. The color touch screen makes for unstrained information viewing for users. Designed with USB and Ethernet ports, the CX700 from Polycom is also equipped with a biometric fingerprint reader that greatly improves the quality of phone security.

In addition, one mustn’t forget Polycom’s CX100 Speakerphone. Already available on the market, the device is a compact peripheral that links up through a USB to a personal computer or laptop so as to make excellent communications possible, one that demonstrates stunning sound clarity and commendable convenience.

“The combination of Office Communications Server 2007 with Polycom’s CX product family and Polycom’s worldwide sales and support capabilities provides business customers with a rich, integrated, and seamless unified communications experience as well as a complete end-to-end software-powered VoIP solution,” says Sunil Bhalla. Bhalla is currently the senior vice president and general manager of Voice Communications at Polycom. “Polycom’s CX family allows for a greater level of collaboration among co-workers, customers and vendors, allowing them to instantly see the status of another user and immediately initiate the communication process via text, voice, data, or video.”