Polycom & Microsoft Jointly Provide UCC Platforms & Integration for NATO’s Program

A changing world dynamic has caused an increasing need for NATO to have best-in-class business communication solutions for its new Brussels, Belgium headquarters that are both easy to use and always connected. Building on a relationship that has lasted more than six years, Polycom (Nasdaq: PLCM) announced this week that it has been selected by NATO to be the primary unified communications provider of the organisation’s Active Network Infrastructure (ANWI) project within its extensive high-tech new headquarters located in Brussels, Belgium.

As part of NATO’s “new ways of working” business capability designed to modernise virtual collaboration across multiple networks, the Polycom RealPresence Platform will represent the first hybrid Video Collaboration (VTC), Voice and Data deployment by NATO.  This implementation will extend NATO’s reach to employees, military commands and deployed units, taking this far beyond the traditional and capability to secure collaborative communications no matter what the condition or location is. Polycom will play an important role in the ANWI project, building a viable UC&C service that can be widely used across the NATO organisation to support decision making, collaboration and coordination.

“We see Polycom as a great relationship,” said Steven Janis, Project Manager of the new NATO Headquarters. “There is a great importance to us in the way Polycom integrates smoothly with other communications platforms, such as Microsoft, and the ins-and-outs of the nucleus of our UC&C platforms which help take our communications into the next century.”

In addition to the RealPresence Platform solution being deployed throughout NATO’s networks, Polycom will also equip the facility with 2,500 of its industry-leading Polycom VVX business media voice end points for use with Skype For Business.  This new infrastructure and operations is all about return on investment, saving resources, expanding applications and maintaining advantages for NATO. While the initial deployment at NATO’s new headquarters will be focused on generalised services, the Polycom RealPresence Platform offers the scalability to increase to a more comprehensive UCC infrastructure that will help power the organisation’s “new ways of working” approach.

“Polycom is honoured to have been selected to partner with NATO to outfit its new headquarters in Brussels with industry-leading unified communications and collaboration technology,” said Sean Berg, Vice President, Public Sector at Polycom. “Communications are integral to any organisation. However it plays an absolutely essential role in not only NATO’s initiatives, but the security and well-being of millions of citizens around the world. Polycom is proud to play a critical role in providing a superior user experience while ensuring NATO’s communication is never compromised.”