Continuant, Inc. Achieves Advanced Unified Communications Specialization from Cisco in USA

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What’s the difference between Video Conferencing and Telepresence?

Telepresence picks up where video conferencing left off. Telepresence IS real time, full-high-definition, immersible sound and vision. Telepresence IS most importantly: the feeling of being “there” when you’re “here”. Telepresence is lifelike, video conferencing is not. Telepresence is that hi-line Mercedes AMG, video conferencing is a Ford Escort - Period.

Why Telepresence now?

Video conferencing has been around a while now but has always lacked the feeling we spoke about above. Jumpy computer screens, broken audio and poor lighting add to the impersonal touches of video conferencing (ie slow motion camcorder on top of your computer monitor). Finally, technology, bandwidth, vision and sound have all converged on video conferencing to create the telepresence experience. It’s about time! Crystal clear surround sound and real-time full-high-definition visual effects enhance the feeling of being there – thus telepresence. That nervous twitch, roll of the eyes, sniffle, tap of the foot – things you see when you’re present and sitting across a conference room table – things you don’t see or feel from video conferencing, but do with telepresence.

Today, what “real” uses are there for Telepresence?

There is no short answer even possible here. We’ll name a few, more like we’ll put your imagination to work. Imagine a single specialist doctor in Canada treating patients in Haiti via telepresence. Robots in space doing the actual work while the telepresence operator dons his telepresence helmet and gloves at his workstation in Texas. Meeting your Russian company vice president while you’re in the executive telepresence room at the office in Denver. Just a few…

What are “real” savings of Telepresence?

Your imagination still working on the last answer? Don’t let up yet! What carbon footprint? Don’t need that airplane ticket to go check on your staff in Russia now do you? What lost life in the Iraqi war? Unmanned drones and soldiers via telepresence. Military and combat cost savings? Immeasurable. Less travel costs, airline frustration, fuel, lost time, carbon emissions, etc. Those are tangible, real savings to name just a very limited few.

You starting to see what telepresence can do that video conferencing can’t? We hope you see what we’re seeing! Telepresence – its time has arrived!

Check out the video thread in Section 8 of the Telepresence Forum where you can watch some Telepresence YouTube videos! If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million!

Ride on the "Next Plane of Existence" TM

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 18, 2008 -- Continuant announced today that it has achieved the Advanced Unified Communications Specialization from Cisco®. This specialization recognizes Continuant as having fulfilled the training requirements and program prerequisites to sell, deploy and support comprehensive Cisco Unified Communications solutions.

"Continuant has a long and established history of providing voice and data solutions to its customers", said Rick Parmiter, vice president of sales at Continuant. "The addition of Cisco Advanced Unified Communications solutions will ensure Continuant's customers remain on the cutting edge of communications technologies."

"As a Cisco Advanced Unified Communications Specialized Partner, Continuant's investment in the training required to provide integrated, collaborative and adaptive unified communications solutions rank them among the industry's most qualified," said Richard McLeod, director of unified communications for worldwide channels at Cisco.

The Cisco Advanced Unified Communications Specialization is designed to help Cisco resale channel partners--whether small to medium-sized businesses or enterprise-scale organizations--meet a wide range of customer needs. It allows partners to focus on unified communications market opportunities that require advanced product knowledge and the ability to deploy solutions over multiple sites and geographies. Cisco Advanced Unified Communications Specialized Partners are specialists in building solutions based on the industry-leading Cisco Unified Communications portfolio. These products include Cisco Unified CallManager, Cisco Unity Connection, Cisco Unity voice messaging and unified messaging, and Cisco Unity Express, Cisco Unified Contact Center Express, Cisco Unified Videoconferencing and Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express.

The Cisco Resale Channel Program provides partners with the training required to build sales, technical and Cisco Lifecycle Services skills, and then validates their skills through a third-party audit. Cisco resale partner certifications--Select, Premier, Silver and Gold--represent an increasing breadth of skills across key technologies and a partner's ability to deliver integrated networking solutions.

Cisco resale partner specializations--SMB, Express, Advanced and Master--reflect an increasing depth of sales, technical and service expertise in particular technologies. Achieving Cisco Advanced Unified Communications Specialization also provides Continuant access to comprehensive sales, technical, and lifecycle services training and support available from Cisco.

About Continuant

Continuant is an award winning, nationwide provider of telecommunications solutions specializing in providing maintenance and professional services in today's multi-vendor communications environment. To learn more, visit the Continuant website at http://www.continuant.com.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems and MeetingPlace are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.

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