Unified Communications Featured Article

Polycom Aids Spain Ministry of Defence with Videoconferencing

By Casey Houser
Contributing Writer

Polycom (News - Alert), a developer of videoconferencing software and hardware, plays in intimate role in the daily operations of Spain’s Ministry of Defence. The Ministry’s Defense Headquarters (which spell the acronym EMAD in Spanish) and its armed forces headquarters keep in constant communication with the Polycom RealPresence suites, and both those Defence departments can use the system to keep in contact with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In fact – reported EMAD member Lieutenant Colonel R. Pérez who Metropolis Business Publishing said was involved with the setup of RealPresence in the various departments of Defence – it was NATO that inspired Spain to adopt the Polycom equipment because of widespread use at that partner’s base.

“NATO works with Polycom, and their systems are interoperable and could be integrated with other systems keeping the security spotless,” Pérez said. “For us, knowing that NATO chose Polycom was a valid reason for doing the same.”

He further noted that one of the selling points of RealPresence unified communications is its focus on security. Polycom has made it possible for the Spanish government’s encryption codes to work seamlessly within this platform, so Defence did not have to compromise its integrity to gain an update in communications.

RealPresence comes in various arrangements. Its Centro configuration helps groups collaborate around a central unit that has multiple displays and a camera, all to aid local group work in tandem with links to remote persons.

The RealPresence Debut reaches more for huddle rooms. Its high-definition screen and camera can attach to smartphones and other wireless devices for configuration and control. The RealPresence Trio hardware arrives as a conference phone meant for audio-based collaboration but can attach to a camera through USB.

The use of these products at the Ministry of Defence is said to have boosted the productivity of its employees. Video-based meetings have also become easier to set up. Spain’s armed forces personnel concluded that the speed and clarity of its communications translates to lives saved, so in essence, Polycom has entered the businesses of emergency care. This relationship has spread to personnel on land and sea, and even to personnel who often find themselves in the air or controlling airbound forces. Pérez now regards Polycom as a “best partner” for its role in this situation which, as one might assume, often addresses critical tasks.