Ploycom's coming to play in the IMS space. Nice that they include mention of the importance of SIP as well. They mention desktop video and multimedia 3G devices, so I'd look for them to aim at both wireline and wireless carriers. I'll probe for an interview candidate at Polycom to get more detailed information

Polycom Announces IMS Strategy
Polycom IMS solutions will enable service providers to deliver next generation collaboration to enterprises, small businesses and consumers.

PLEASANTON, Calif. – Dec. 11, 2006 – Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM), the world’s leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced support for the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture and standards. In the first half of 2007, Polycom plans to deliver a series of IMS architected products that will enable service providers to deliver next generation conferencing and collaboration services to enterprises, small businesses and consumers. These carrier-class solutions will provide a pragmatic, cost-effective migration path for service providers by supporting pure IMS deployments, but also hybrid deployments.

“IMS is a complex architecture requiring a high level of implementation expertise,” said Tom Valovic, program director of VoIP infrastructure at IDC. “Although many of the more advanced applications of IMS are still evolving, early deployments will involve proven capabilities that intersect with many of the real-time multimedia collaboration tools associated with the emerging area of unified communications. Polycom recognizes the importance of this trend and the need to respond to the growing momentum of both IMS and SIP in service provider networks.”

Polycom will deliver a comprehensive offering focused purely on the collaboration and conferencing markets. Based on its experience as the industry leader in voice, video and unified collaboration solutions, Polycom has designed its IMS architected products for the unique technological demands of high scale, high quality, multi-party voice and video conferencing and collaboration. The Polycom IMS architected products will include: a conferencing and collaboration optimized application server, an application development environment, an optimized conferencing media server, and multiple voice, video, and unified collaboration applications based also on SIP.

“With the proliferation of desktop video and multimedia enabled 3G devices, Polycom believes that the next generation of conferencing and collaboration services will be vastly different from yesterday’s prescheduled and attended audio and video conferencing,” said Joe Sigrist, senior vice president and general manager of network systems at Polycom. “Our IMS strategy is designed to assist our current service provider customers and an entirely new generation of service providers to rapidly design and deploy new applications that bring value to large enterprises, small businesses and consumers. Our approach ensures that service providers can migrate to next-generation applications and infrastructures affordably and intelligently, without extensive modification or forklift upgrades.”

Polycom’s IMS solutions will enable rapid feature development, scalability, fault tolerance, zero downtime upgrades, and design flexibility—all of which will allow service providers to create differentiated services that are completely transparent to the network, regardless of device and location. The Polycom solutions will enable on-demand environments where end users can move easily and seamlessly between collaboration services and other services whenever and wherever they want. Service providers should be able to capitalize on new market opportunities when using Polycom’s IMS strategy.

Pricing and Availability
Polycom IMS-based infrastructure solutions are scheduled to be available in the first half of 2007. Pricing will be announced at that time.

About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. is the worldwide leader in unified collaborative communications (UCC) that maximize the efficiency and productivity of people and organizations by integrating the broadest array of video, voice, data and Web solutions to deliver the ultimate communications experience. Polycom’s high quality, standards-based conferencing and collaboration solutions are easy to deploy and manage, as well as intuitive to use. Supported by an open architecture, they integrate seamlessly with leading telephony and presence-based networks. With its market driving technologies, best-in-class products, alliance partnerships, and world-class service, Polycom is the smart choice for organizations seeking proven solutions and a competitive advantage in real-time communications and collaboration. For additional information call 1-800-POLYCOM (765-9266) or +1-408-526-9000, or visit the Polycom website at www.polycom.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding Polycom’s anticipated timing of providing IMS architected products in the first half of 2007, next generation conferencing and collaboration services, and the ability of service providers to capitalize on new market opportunities. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including possible delays in the development, availability and shipment of new products, changing market demands, the market acceptance of our products, the impact of competition on our product sales and for our customers and partners such as service providers, and increasing costs and differing uses of capital. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in Polycom’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006, and in other reports filed by Polycom with the SEC. Polycom disclaims any intent or obligations to update these forward-looking statements.

Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks and MGC and VSX are trademarks of Polycom in the U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2006, Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.

Polycom reserves the right to modify future product plans at any time. Products and/or related specifications referenced in this press release are not guaranteed, and will be delivered on a when and if available basis.