Polycom®, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), a worldwide leader in the convergence of interactive voice, video and data communications, today announced the newest members of its industry-leading SoundStation® voice communications family, the SoundStation Premier® 500D and the SoundStation Premier Polycom 550d. Both products have a licensed Time Compression Multiplexing (TCM) interface enabling direct-wall connectivity to any Meridian 1 PBX from Nortel Networks, providing customers with simple digital connectivity for full-duplex, two-way communications, as well as connectivity for multipoint voiceconferencing capability through the Meridian 1. 

The Polycom SoundStation Premier 500D is the non-expandable base model, while the 550D features connections for two additional microphones for extended room coverage. These SoundStation products are the first in the industry to enable companies to connect a voice conferencing phone right out of the box to the digital wall jack of their Nortel Networks Meridian 1. This eliminates the expense and hassle of using additional connectors, adapters and analog line cards. It also adds convenience and can reduce multi-line conference call costs by supporting Meridian’s multipoint conferencing features, connecting up to six locations. In order to develop these new products, Polycom obtained a license from Nortel Networks to utilize Nortel Networks TCM interface technology and associated intellectual property rights.

“As a result of the Nortel Networks TCM interface license, Polycom’s new SoundStation products, renowned for their full-duplex sound clarity, will give our customers expanded phone set options, with phones that are better able to integrate with the Meridian desktop feature sets and, as such, provide more value to end users than standard analog phones. This expanded choice provides further enhancement to the rich, high-quality feature set that has made Meridian a leader in PBXs and IP-enabled solutions in North America,” said Alex Pierson, general manager, Enterprise Business Networks, Nortel Networks.

“Polycom is committed to meeting the needs of its customers through enhancements to our SoundStation product line,” said Sunil Bhalla, senior vice president and general manager of voice communications at Polycom. “By having obtained the right to use Nortel Networks TCM interface with our SoundStation Premier phones, we’re able to provide the level of connectivity our customers require through our high-quality and easy-to-use SoundStation Premier 500D and 550D solutions.”

Along with new connectivity and enhanced convenience and ease of use, the SoundStation Premier 500D and 550D offer all of the functionality of the world’s best-selling conference phone.

Availability
The SoundStation Premier 500D and 550D products are available now in North America for Nortel Networks Meridian, Meridian 1, Meridian SL-1* and SL-100 PBXs, and starting at a manufacturers’ suggested resale price (MSRP) of U.S. $1099.

About Polycom’s SoundStation Premier
Polycom’s SoundStation voice communications products are high-quality, full-duplex, easy-to-use conference phones. The product line includes the SoundStation, SoundStation Premier, SoundStation Premier 550D and 500D for the Nortel Meridian PBX, SoundStation Premier for the Avaya DEFINITY Server, VoiceStationTM and SoundPoint ProTM. The product family features Polycom’s patented Acoustic Clarity TechnologyTM and proprietary speaker technology, both of which minimize background echoes, word clipping and distortion. The SoundStation product line is the leader in the tabletop voiceconferencing industry, offering a full range of high-quality communications solutions for small offices to executive offices, and small conference rooms to large boardrooms.