No Jitter Roll: Video Conferencing Devices, Displays

We start this week with a pair of rooms announcement, followed by the latest on a suite of collaboration display devices, a FedRAMP-authorized calling and meetings solution, an expanded UCaaS footprint, and an integrated AI coaching app.

 

Dovetailing with Microsoft Ignite, AudioCodes and QSC this week made Microsoft Teams-related announcements.

 

First, AudioCodes has updated its Teams audio/video bar and added Teams Rooms bundles to its Room Experience (RX) product suite.

 

Designed for small and medium-sized meeting rooms, the RXV80 audio/video bar will feature click-to-join and proximity join capabilities and a wired or wireless connection option, AudioCodes said. The video bar comes with a Bluetooth remote controller (RXV80RC) that features illuminated Teams, mute, and other key buttons, AudioCodes said. The device will be generally available in Q4, following Microsoft certification, according to AudioCodes.

 

The new RXV100-B video bundles for Teams Rooms include AudioCodes audio and video peripherals, Meeting Insights, a network and device management tool, and the Lenovo ThinkSmart Hub 500, AudioCodes said.

 

Additionally, AudioCodes has enhanced Meeting Insight to improve the pre- and post-Teams meeting experience.

 

Second, QSC unveiled a portfolio of Teams-certified meeting room accessories that is centered around the Q-SYS Ecosystem and the Q-SYS 110f Core processor. These provide the ability to combine audio, video, and control capabilities for native QSC or third-party peripherals into one appliance, QSC said. The line includes the Energy Star-qualified SPA Series power amplifiers, QSC AcousticDesign Series loudspeakers, and the Q-SYS NS Series network switches, QSC said.

 

Regarding peripherals, QSC has partnered with Sennheiser to bring that company’s Teams Rooms-certified TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphones, into the QSC ecosystem. Also available for integration is the Logitech Tap touch controller and Logitech Rally Camera, QSC said.

 

Collaboration display company Avocor this week revealed three 55-inch interactive display devices. They are the:

These devices, available through Avocor resellers, cost $2,699, $5,399, and $5,999, respectively.

 

In a blog post this week, Cisco revealed that Webex messaging has been FedRAMP-authorized and will be available as part of its FedRAMP-approved portfolio of calling and meeting apps. Once available, federal users will be able to call, meet, and message from a single app that brings in cloud or on-premises Cisco calling services, Cisco said.

 

In addition, Cisco said it will also be upgrading its FedRAMP-authorized Webex Meetings experience and provide connectivity for UCMC-G cloud-based collaboration to Webex.

 

FedRAMP moderate authorization for Webex Meetings and messaging capabilities is generally available.

 

UCaaS provider RingCentral this week announced that it has extended its European footprint with the addition of a data center in Frankfurt, Germany. With the new data center, RingCentral said it will be able to offer customers access to local phone numbers and emergency services, in compliance with local regulatory requirements. Customers will also have access to local data storage for all team messaging, voicemails, audio and video recordings, call logs, faxes, and analytics data, as well as the ability to register endpoints and keep voice and video call media in-country, RingCentral said. To open the data center, RingCentral has met the European Union’s requirements of the Cloud Computing Compliance Criteria Catalogue, for baseline security controls.

 

In addition, RingCentral has opened an office in Hamburg, Germany.

 

Real-time communications software provider Ribbon Communications announced its Session Border Controller Software Edition Lite (SBC SWe Lite) is now available for Amazon Web Services (AWS) public cloud deployments. Previously, the SBC had been available on Microsoft Azure. An alternative to traditional SBC hardware and software, Ribbon's SBC SWe Lite provides interworking and security for hosted UC through is EdgeView Service Control Center, Ribbon said.

 

Earlier this week, AI coaching solutions provider Cogito announced the general availability of its Amazon Connect integration. Cogito’s AI Coach uses behavioral science with AI and high-performance computing to deliver personalized coaching and conversational insights in real-time.