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Polycom (News - Alert) Inc., a provider of telepresence, video and voice communications systems, has announced a new certification program designed for partners that offer managed network services. This program, known as Video Network Operations Center, or “VNOC,” services, is offered with Polycom immersive telepresence systems.

“The Polycom Immersive Telepresence VNOC Service Provider Certification Program establishes comprehensive requirements that ensure customers receive world-class immersive telepresence VNOC service quality and support from our certified partners,” Geno Alissi (News - Alert), Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Services, Polycom, said.

This new program features what is positioned as the industry’s most stringent requirements to ensure quality and reliability of services and the best user experience for customers. It also offers both “Certified” and “Advanced Certified” requirements, each with its own standards.

The “Certified” program provides partners with the knowledge and capabilities to deliver and support immersive telepresence VNOC service offerings. Such partners must attend intensive VNOC technical and best practice training, in addition to meeting lab and training requirements.

To become “Advanced Certified,” partners must complete advanced lab and training requirements, adhere to program governance and complete operational audits supported by Polycom.

 “With the real-life impact of telepresence and BT's (News - Alert) services and support tools, customers can easily expand their global reach, shorten business cycles and achieve unprecedented return on investment,” Jeff Prestel, general manager, BT Conferencing, Video Business Unit, said.

Both BT and Nortel (News - Alert) have achieved Polycom’s highest certifications for telepresence service and reseller status with the company’s VNOC Service Provider status program and its Telepresence Certified Plus reseller status. AVI-SPL has achieved Polycom Advanced Certified Immersive Telepresence VNOC Service Provider status, and Polycom Telepresence Certified reseller status.

“For Nortel, video is a core pillar of unified communications and we continue to see customer demand for professional service and managed service offers that span both video and voice applications,” Stanley said. “Our VNOC capabilities deliver proven value to our customers and case studies demonstrate an average 300 percent increase in customer internal video conferencing use and as much as a tenfold increase in external business-to-business use.”

Polycom VNOC delivery partners Glowpoint (News - Alert) and Iformata Communications have also achieved Polycom Advanced Certified Immersive Telepresence VNOC Service Provider status.

“With the continued expansion of video communication tools, resources and capabilities we are thrilled to participate in and be recognized by Polycom as a Polycom Advanced Certified Immersive Telepresence VNOC Service Provider offering world-class managed services,” Brian Kinne, Executive Vice President, Iformata Communications, said. “Our industry continues to see light-speed adoption on a global scale, which validates our growth strategy.”

With this program, customers can be sure that certified channel and delivery partners have completed rigorous product training; gain the expertise and capabilities for troubleshooting, testing, upgrade and update verification; have tighter integration with Polycom Global Services; have access to company engineering teams; have completed the process audit; ensure compliance; and use proven Polycom processes.

Being certified will provide customers with added security and confidence in their choice of service providers. At the same time, these service providers can expand their reach throughout the global market.

Companies that are benefiting from Polycom solutions seem to multiplying as another client has boasted about its successes with the company’s products. Kansas City, Mo-based law firm Lathrop & Gage has announced Polycom solutions will boost inter-office collaboration and client meetings.

Polycom also recently partnered with CyraCom to deliver a new sign language interpretation service expected to aid healthcare providers to better serve the hearing impaired.