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Telepresence (News - Alert) has been making waves not only within the industry but around the world with companies looking to keep in touch with other international business without the high phone bills. A unique way of communication via interactive video conferencing, many major companies, such as Polycom (News - Alert), has been putting forth on the market their telepresence solution.

 

However, it is not only business that are adopting telepresence and emerging the solution into their daily order of things, The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) has selected Polycom RealPresence Experience (RPX) immersive telepresence solutions to collaborate with other universities and extend its teaching programs around the region.

 

Hamdullah Mohib, Director of Information Technology at AUAF said, "Our final decision was made based on the evaluation of FVC's past experiences, the quality of Polycom's RPX solution that we experienced at Gitex this year and their ability to fulfill our needs.”

 

“We have a commitment to provide a high quality education based on international standards, offering a structure of academic programs and the content of courses offered based mostly on an American standard of education," Mohib continued.

 

The university's IT department currently operates an IT infrastructure that supports over 200 staff and faculty members as well as 500 students. Always looking to improve its IT infrastructure, such as its computer labs and computers in the library, the university officials say they want to ensure that all students and faculty have enough technology resources to complete their task using up-to-date information and technology resources at hand.

 

"The RPX system will reduce the need for transporting lecturers back and forth across the world, hence reducing pollution," pointed out Mohib. "We selected the Polycom system because it is the nearest thing to a real presence experience that modern technology can offer - making it a door to the world without having to step outside campus.”

 

AUAF researched the video conferencing market extensively before choosing Polycom's RealPresence Experience High Definition, RPX HD218 suite with a capacity for 18 students.

 

Supplied and installed at the University's chosen locations by Polycom's authorized Value Added Distributor (VAD) in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region, FVC and its authorized partner in Afghanistan - Rana Technologies.

 

K. S. Parag, MD for FVC, said, "We are very pleased that the American University of Afghanistan has selected Polycom's immersive telepresence solution for its needs.

The education sector has particularly been benefited by the advantages this system offers with its unprecedented high-definition life-like video, extraordinary stereo surround audio and high resolution content because it recreates the feel of a classroom and helps the university to extend its resources while reaching out to newer audiences - all without raising its carbon footprint."

 

AUAF's existing IT facilities include ERP, E-learning, Interactive Lectures, Internet, files sharing and now the RPX HD218 immersive suit.

 

All parties involve said in a statement released today that the new Polycom RPX-HD system is part of a greater vision of introducing environmentally-friendly and greener technological solutions to Afghanistan.