As the conference phone market leader, Polycom is the most recognized brandin conference rooms across the globe. With the introduction of these twonew conference phones, Polycom redefines what businesses worldwide canexpect from their conferencing endpoints as well as from new SIP-basedvoice over IP (VoIP) network installations in terms of performance, voicequality, price and design enhancements.

"In today's global business environment, voice is a vital medium forbusiness communications and phones are the primary interface forend-users," said Nora Freedman, senior analyst of enterprise networks atIDC. "Due to the sheer number of conference calls held daily, conferencephones are a key segment of any organization's end-point portfolio.Therefore, the integration of advanced IP applications and High Definitionvoice technology for conference phones can improve the user experience, andultimately, make a positive impact on business communications and process."

HD Voice Fuels Call Clarity, IP Connectivity Offers More than Voice

In a recent VoIP study, Synergy Research reported that more than 73 percentof new telephony lines are expected to be IP this year, and IDC isforecasting 30 percent growth in VoIP desktop hardware over 2007. Followingthis trend, the new SoundStation IP 7000 and SoundStation IP 6000 expandPolycom's IP conference phone portfolio and are the first conference phonesdeveloped to integrate open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) with PolycomHD Voice. Combined with HD Voice and Polycom's patented Acoustic ClarityTechnology, these phones offer unrivaled clarity for breakthrough voicequality and more productive conference calls. The new conference phonesalso feature Polycom's latest radio frequency shielding technologies that"stop the buzz" created by interference from mobile phonesand smartphones -- a problem so widespread that 70 percent of recent surveyrespondents reported a willingness to upgrade their conference phones ifthat would solve the problem.

As high definition technologies become more prevalent throughout thecommunications industry, a growing number of VoIP service providers andaudio conferencing services are supporting HD Voice. ZipDX, a Polycom ARENApartner, is one of the first to offer HD voice-enabled conferencing. ZipDXworked with a number of companies to test their HD conference service withthe new SoundStation IP 6000 and IP 7000 conference phones.

"The combination of the Polycom SoundPoint IP 7000 and the ZipDX audioconferencing service is taking collaboration to a new level," accordingto Bryan Newman, director of Information Systems for Okuma America Corp., aworld leader in machining technology based in Charlotte, N.C. "Weconference extensively among our US offices, with our distributors andcustomers in North and South America, and with our parent in Japan. Ourrecent trials with IP 7000's and SoundPoint phones have demonstrated thebenefits in recognizing voices and understanding accented speakers."

"The enhanced audio quality of the Polycom phones, combined with theadvanced conferencing features of ZipDX, have made our calls moreproductive and we are exploring rolling the technology out in additionallocations," continued Newman. "Whether it's training, selling, or managing,it's important that our message gets through clearly, and that we hear andunderstand what people are saying to us. With ZipDX and Polycom HD Voicetechnology, our conferences are a snap to set up, start on time, have thehighest audio quality, and are secure and easy to manage."

"With the introduction of our new open SIP HD Voice conference phones,we're helping customers make the most of their VoIP network investments bydelivering HD Voice communications on a platform that brings value beyondvoice," said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager ofPolycom's voice communications solutions division. "Our customers will reapthe benefits of a new level of communication with more productive, engagingconference calls."

Product Features

The SoundStation IP 7000 introduces a new, sleek design that redefines thelook and feel and performance of the traditional conference phones.Features include:

--  The industry's first up to 22 kHz CD-quality HD Voice for lifelike    clarity and intelligibility.--  Large high resolution display and processing power for IP    applications, transforming the conference phone into an applications    platform for the conference room. Includes LDAP corporate directory access,    three-way visual conferencing in HD Voice and an open XHTML micro-browser    for third-party application development and integration. The conferencing    application enables users to see the names of the participants and add,    delete, mute or place individual callers on hold during the call.--  Multi-unit connectivity with the ability to "daisy-chain" two units,    offering greater microphone pickup, louder volume, and multiple call    control points within one conference room.--  20-foot (6-meter) microphone pickup range to hear participants in all    corners of the conference room. Even greater coverage is available through    optional expansion microphones.--  Seamless integration with Polycom HDX high definition visual    communications systems is expected later this year -- making launching a    high definition video conference as easy as dialing a conference phone.--  Power over Ethernet connectivity(1) to reduce cable clutter in    conference rooms.    

The SoundStation IP 6000 is a price/performance breakthrough for managerialoffices and small to midsize conference rooms. With pricing comparable tosimilar analog conference phones but with much higher acoustic performanceand IP functionality, customers who are migrating to SIP-based VoIPtechnology can now fully leverage the power of their IP infrastructure.

The SoundStation IP 6000 features:

--  Polycom HD Voice with up to 14 kHz audio for remarkable clarity and    intelligibility.--  12-foot (3.6-meter) microphone pickup range for full room coverage in    offices and small to mid-sized conference rooms, with optional expansion    microphones also available.--  High resolution backlit display for vital call information and multi-    language support. The platform also supports the delivery of web-based    content to the display for third party application development and    integration.--  Power over Ethernet connectivity to reduce cable clutter in conference    rooms    

The new conference phones are being certified with Polycom's more than 25SIP-based call control platform partners including 3Com, BroadSoft, Digium,Interactive Intelligence, Sylantro, and other Polycom VoIP InteroperabilityPartners (VIP). For more information on the Polycom VIP Program, visitwww.polycom.com/vip.

Pricing and Availability

The Polycom SoundStation IP 7000 is available today through Polycom'scertified channel partners starting at a list price of U.S. $1,299. ThePolycom SoundStation IP 6000 will also be available through Polycom'scertified channel partners later this quarter starting at a list price ofU.S. $899. For more information, visit www.polycom.com/go/soundstation_ip.

About Polycom

Polycom, Inc. is the worldwide leader in unified collaborativecommunications (UCC) that maximize the efficiency and productivity ofpeople and organizations. Polycom delivers the broadest array of highdefinition telepresence video, wired and wireless voice, and contentsolutions so people can enjoy the best communications, whether from areal-time collaborative interaction or on-demand streamed video experience.Spanning from the desktop to the industry's only immersive telepresencesuite, Polycom's high quality collaboration and communications solutionsare easy to deploy and manage, as well as intuitive to use. Based on openstandards, they integrate seamlessly with leading telephony andpresence-based networks. With innovative market-driving technologies, acompelling vision for next generation visual communications, best-in-classproducts, alliance partnerships, and world-class service, Polycom is thesmart choice for organizations to gain a competitive advantage with provenand trusted communication solutions. For additional information, call800-POLYCOM or visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com.

Polycom reserves the right to modify future product plans at any time.Products and/or related specifications referenced in this press release arenot guaranteed, and will be delivered on a when and if available basis.

Polycom, the Polycom logo, and SoundPoint, and SoundStation are registeredtrademarks, and Polycom HD Voice technology is a trademark of Polycom inthe U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property oftheir respective owners. ©2008, Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.

(1) Power over Ethernet is limited to use with single IP 7000configurations. Daisy chained IP7000 configurations require power supplymodule.

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