Cisco introduces a new way to communicate and collaborate

Through utilising the company's innovations in video, audio and remote communication technology over the Internet Protocol (IP) network, Cisco TelePresence creates a human experience that is so immersive and realistic that users forget they are in different rooms thousands of miles apart.

Cisco TelePresence, which utilises innovations designed and built by Cisco including ultra high definition 1080p video, imperceptible end-to-end latency and wideband spatial audio, is paving the way for transformational business models by delivering a vivid personal experience.

Using the reach and intelligence of the network, Cisco TelePresence eliminates distance barriers to interaction while at the same time providing a high-quality experience through creating a real sense of sitting face-to-face with a person on the other side of the virtual TelePresence table. Additionally, Cisco TelePresence taps Cisco's unique Unified Communications capabilities, making TelePresence calls as easy as a regular phone call.

Andrew Elder, Managing Director of Enterprise and Advanced Technology at Cisco said, "Our Enterprise customers really see the business value in Cisco's TelePresence as it allows the same in-person meeting experience without the cost, risk and inconvenience of travel. The combination of networking, audio and video technology has resulted in picture resolutions that are six times that of the consumer HD television experience creating a truly ground breaking experience for our customers.

"With the network as the platform, Cisco has been able to extend the communications horizon while reducing the carbon footprint to help change the way people communicate and collaborate," continued Elder.

Sam Al Kharrat, Managing Director for Cisco Gulf and Pakistan said, "As companies are becoming increasingly global in scale, and with a growing number of organisations operating in the region, TelePresence will start replacing remote experiences and capturing important interactions by creating a human experience that is so immersive and realistic that it becomes as good as being there.

"TelePresence offers an integrated and global business approach as it allows companies to transcend physical locations and optimise the diverse talents and skills of its employees and partners in a seamless matter. Businesses in the region are ready to reap the benefits of TelePresence," added Al Kharrat.

As the telepresence category grows, Cisco will develop additional applications tailored for specific industries, such as healthcare, retail, banking, entertainment or government. This could include a doctor's appointment, a "virtual specialist" for providing in-store expertise, remote interviews or depositions, or a visit between the kids and grandparents without the need for travel. The first application to market announced today, the Cisco TelePresence Meeting solution, is targeted at businesses to facilitate collaboration and enhance productivity.

"The network has evolved from the information superhighway of the nineties, to a platform for all forms of communications, enabling new business models never possible before," said Marthin De Beer, vice president, Emerging Markets Technology Group, Cisco. "Cisco TelePresence is a new innovative application on this platform and catapults the concept of remote communications and collaboration to a remarkable new level."

Cisco Enterprise Video Solutions
The network has become a platform for real-time, or next-generation, video delivery. Cisco TelePresence, Cisco's latest emerging technology, is the third in a series of new video solutions for the enterprise. Recent additions to this portfolio include physical security/video surveillance, introduced earlier this year; and the Cisco Digital Media System, a solution for the creation, management and delivery of digital media, introduced last month. All three product lines come out of Cisco's Emerging Markets Technology Group, an internal venture team that focuses on innovation in adjacent markets beyond Cisco's traditional networking portfolio.

Delivery of Cisco TelePresence
In addition to its innovative technology leadership, Cisco's global span of channel partners, recommended service providers, and its own services and support capabilities speed application deployment and provide for the ongoing optimization and additional business application of Cisco TelePresence. The Cisco TelePresence Advanced Technology Provider (ATP) Program currently includes 23 partners from around the globe. The program is focused on helping partners provide the expertise, intellectual property and lifecycle services capabilities necessary to deliver the Cisco TelePresence experience.

The Cisco TelePresence Meeting Solution is delivered over a Cisco-certified TelePresence connection. Service providers who meet the requirements for this designation have made a commitment to the TelePresence certification program and to using Cisco technology to help deliver high quality, reliability, simplicity and network intelligence to the business end user through tight integration between Cisco TelePresence technology and the providers' Cisco IP Next-Generation Networks.