Cisco Telepresence Technology Taking Video-Based Virtual Collaboration to the Next Level at COP17

The networking technology giant Cisco (News - Alert) was chosen as the key technology partner by the South African Government for United Nation's 17th Conference Convention on Climate Change. The conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is going to be held in Durban, South Africa from November 28 to December 9 2011.

Cisco’s collaboration solutions comprises of Cisco TelePresence, Cisco Unified Communication Suite and Cisco WebEx meeting solutions. The solutions will be deployed on-site during the conference, Cisco informed in a press release.

Cisco is partnering with Dimension Data, Neotel (News - Alert) and Tata Communications to provide Network Infrastructure, High-Definition Video Communication and Online Meeting Solutions at COP17. Cisco, together with its key partners is going to support the UNFCCC with all network operations. Three Cisco telepresence rooms will be deployed onsite to support the UNFCCC with all network operations. 

Cisco immersive TelePresence will be available in the UNFCCC digital media lounge at COP17, and Cisco video solutions as well as WebEx will be utilized in side event rooms, UN executive meeting rooms, UN executive offices on-site and the bloggers' lounge.

Participants will have to sit down at the conference   table in one of the Cisco or Tata Communications (News - Alert) TelePresence rooms. A simple call connects them to the off-site participants. Individuals automatically appear on the screen, irrespective of where in the world they are located. The setup of the rooms allows participants to feel as if they are sitting in the same room, even though some participants may be thousands of miles away.

Cisco claimed that COP17 is going to demonstrate the power and benefits of video-based virtual collaboration. The conference will connect the global attendees through 119 Cisco TelePresence rooms and 36 Tata Communications Public TelePresence rooms. Neotel and Tata Communications will provide the bandwidth and connectivity to their global eco-system of Public Rooms and Cisco private rooms. They will also provide management and monitoring of this network and scheduling portal from which participants will be able schedule meeting rooms at COP17 with meeting rooms around the globe, Cisco informed.

All these will help attendees collaborate in real time and cut back on travel needs. Cisco TelePresence technology will facilitate virtual in-person meeting experiences for local and remote meeting participants, who are unable to travel to COP17 in discussions. The technology will enable COP17 delegates and government officials to keep in constant touch with stakeholders, industry players and media back home.

In a seperate press release, Cisco announced that Smart Technologies is incorporating Cisco TelePresence Synch to SMART Board interactive whiteboards and displays to add a new dimension to a distributed collaborative environment -- face-to-face interaction.