Jeollanam-Do Regional Government Chooses Polycom to Power Korea’s Largest HD Video Conferencing Network

Geographically dispersed region deploys HD video solutions to improve efficiency, and enhance inter-county collaboration, business continuity, health services

SEOUL, Korea - 27 Apr 2010 : Polycom, the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice communications solutions, today announced that it has built one of the largest High Definition (HD) video conferencing networks in Korea.  The deployment by Jeollanam-do Government will connect 22 cities and 295 towns across the Korean province.

Comprising more than 2,000 islands – 62 per cent of the islands within Korea – Jeollanam-do has deployed Polycom's HD video solutions to promote closer communication and information sharing amongst its dispersed communities. The provincial government also wants to improve its capabilities to respond to accidents and natural disasters, such as forest fires, by connecting a central command centre at the provincial government with disaster-stricken areas in real time. Going forward, the provincial government will expand use of the system to also providing tele-health services to citizens, enabling doctors in major centres to consult with remotely located patients.

In total, the Jeollanam-do province has implemented 295 Polycom® HDX®6000 room telepresence units to facilitate life-like, face-to-face communications amongst remotely located officials. The Polycom video conferencing solutions also allow for content to be shared in high-resolution quality, enabling meetings to be conducted as easily as if all participants were situated in the same room. The province has deployed 23 multi-point conferencing units (MCUs) to support both scheduled and on-demand video conferences for groups located at multiple sites as well.

The Polycom HD video conferencing infrastructure was deployed between November 2009 and March 2010, after tests connecting regional offices with Jeollanam-do's municipal government offices had been successfully conducted. The video conferencing network, part of the third enhancement project for Korea's e-Government Network Service, was initiated by the Jeollanam-do provincial government and supported by Korea Telecom (KT). In 2007, Jeollanam-do was a pioneer in the use of video conferencing in provincial government in Korea, building a region-wide video conferencing system to link smaller towns within the province.

"The new high definition video conferencing system was badly needed by the province, which has more islands than any other province in Korea," said Youngchul Song, head of Planning Coordination Office, Jeollanam-do Government. "Aside from helping the provincial government to operate more efficiently, the Polycom HD video conferencing system will promote greater responsiveness to people's needs and higher-quality services for our citizens."

Mr. Yoojin Chun, Country Manager, Polycom Korea, also noted that the HD video conferencing deployment will drive green growth initiatives put forward by the Jeollanam-do government.

"Polycom's HD video solutions are inherently environmentally responsible because they enable people to come together to solve problems, without having to travel to a single location to meet," Mr Chun said. "By enabling organisations to significantly reduce travel, Polycom's solutions help lower an organisation's carbon footprint, whilst also cutting operating costs and delivering significant additional business benefits."

About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM) is the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Visit www.polycom.asia for more information and follow us on Twitter @PolycomAlert.

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