Cisco Systems has extended itsCisco TelePresenceplatform to enable
companies to run inter-company video conferences.
BT is now selling the extended technology via its BT Global
Services division, after Cisco demonstrated the system with BT
through a secure connection across the BT Global Services
network.
Cisco's video conference product is deisgned to provide
businesses with the flexibility and security to have "in person"
meetings with customers, partners and suppliers with the ease of a
simple phone call, said Cisco.
Cisco TelePresence integrates audio, ultra-high-definition video
and interactive collaboration tools with the underlying network as
the platform to deliver conferencing facilities.
The inter-company Cisco TelePresence architecture provides
security at the endpoint through authentication and encryption, in
the enterprise network with firewall and network address
translation traversal, and in the service provider network through
topology hiding and Multiprotocol Label Switching Virtual Private
Networks.
BT's existing Unifed Communication Video Collaboration solution
is based on the Cisco TelePresence product.
Francois Barrault, CEO at BT Global Services said, "Cisco
TelePresence has the potential to transform businesses by bridging
the geographic gap within organisations and to bring customers and
partners together in an extended ecosystem of communication."
With Cisco TelePresence interoperability, businesses will be
able to bring existing standards-based videoconferencing sessions
into a Cisco TelePresence System 3000 or Cisco TelePresence System
1000 meeting.
Enhancements to the existing product line deliver
interoperability with virtually all standards-based
videoconferencing systems installed today, said Cisco.
Earlier this week, Nortel announced a collaboration with
Microsoft to slash the cost of externally hosted video conferencing
sessions with a new internal system.