Vendors team up for open videoconferencing platform

A group of global telecoms providers are joining forces to launch an open platform for videoconferencing calls.

The Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC) said that it would be launching the first series of approved devices and services for video calls. The group, whose members include AT&T, BT and Orange Business Services said that the new networks would aim to simplify the process of connecting and conducting video conferences.

The OVCC said that the services, which will be offered individually by member companies under their own brands, would share a common blueprint for interoperability.

"The OVCC blueprint has accelerated business and connectivity agreements needed for members to offer multi-network, multi-vendor video services while assuring high-quality performance and user experience in this first wave of OVCC compliant services," said OVCC president Andrew McFadzen.

"OVCC members will use the innovative blueprint to extend their visual communication services broadly, regardless of network, vendor or device."

Among the hardware vendors who have signed on to support the platform are Polycom. The unified communications firm said that its RealPresence hardware platform would be designed to support the OVCC specifications and would work with network operators who are running the compliant platforms.

"The breakthrough network-to-network interoperability of the OVCC service is eliminating technical obstacles to make video collaboration as easy as a phone call," Polycom chief executive, Andy Miller said of the rollout.

"Together with our OVCC partners we are working to remove impediments for customers to drive mass adoption of video collaboration, and make it easy for anyone to participate on a video conference, regardless of the network, vendor, or device."