Home > Companies > C-Suite On Deck > Q&A with Amy Barzdukas, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at Poly

Q&A with Amy Barzdukas, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at Poly

MEDIA 7 | November 21, 2019

Amy Barzdukas, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Poly is a marketing and communications leader with extensive experience in setting strategy, shifting perceptions, advising customers, digital marketing, revenue marketing, integrated marketing communications, and public relations in highly competitive product arenas.

Amy is known for her ability to create and execute winning turnarounds on a global scale.

MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing?
AMY BARZDUKAS: I was always destined for marketing, even if I didn’t know it. As a child, I collected promotional brochures. I was fascinated by how the words and pictures were used to drive action. My first job was as an advertising copywriter, and I’ve never looked back.

M7: How is Poly redefining the video conferencing experience for modern businesses?
AB: We’re in an unprecedented time of change in our industry. Voice and video services are moving to the cloud, and companies are changing how they approach their communications needs. Poly is the largest provider of the devices – video conferencing, audio conferencing, headphones and desk phones – you use to connect to these services so you can collaborate with your colleagues. That uniquely positions us to shape the video conferencing experience, and we’re doing so in four ways.

First, Poly has made both the Zoom Rooms and the Microsoft Teams video conferencing experience better than ever with our radically simple Poly Studio X video bars that deliver these experiences with no PC or Mac required. We’ve got decades of experience in understanding what makes meetings more human – for everyone in the room and those dialing in from other locations – and we’ve packed all of that into easy-to-install, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-use all-in-one powerhouses.

Second, we are bringing the world of AV and video conferencing into the modern app economy. Our Studio X series and Poly G7500 video conferencing devices run a common platform that can be updated and enhanced through a series of regular software updates. This Poly platform, built on Android, can run applications like a smartphone does today.

Third, Poly has introduced innovation that makes any video conference better. Our new Poly MeetingAI features use AI and machine learning to address the distractions that hit your senses in a meeting. We make it easier to hear what’s being said by blocking out the annoying noises that people make while talking, and we make it easier to see what’s going on in the room with the most advanced speaker tracking and framing, and our built-in production rules.

Finally, we are pricing our solutions in a way that completely resets the calculations on what it costs to outfit a room. The Studio X30, for huddle room and smaller spaces, costs just about $2,100, including the Poly TC8 touch controller. All you add is the cloud service and a monitor, and you have a room up and running for under $2,500. That’s easily under the cost of other solutions and with better audio and video quality.


"Baby Boomers and more than half of Gen Z say they are most productive when they were working around noise."

M7: As the CMO of Poly, what were the major challenges in rebranding and transforming two separate organizations (Plantronics and Polycom) under a single brand Poly?
AB: One of the greatest challenges of bringing together Plantronics and Polycom was doing so in a way that honored their brand equity, history, and positive associations while establishing a new story for the new company. Plantronics was already an audio pioneer– the first headset that transmitted Neil Armstrong’s famous words during the first moon landing. Polycom was the leader in audio and video conferencing – the conference phone used by business leaders and industry captains.
We had to figure out how to build a stand-out narrative in a crowded space for the general market. For customers and partners, we found a way to carry through the legacies and histories of both companies into the new brand. And for our employees, we had to inspire them to believe in the new brand and the new combined mission. These different challenges with different stakeholders took different approaches to confront, but in the end, we brought everyone to the same conclusion that Poly was moving forward, unified and stronger.

And like any acquisition, integration takes time. We’re proud of our accomplishments since rebranding to Poly in March 2019. Since then, we’ve refreshed our video conferencing line of products, broken new ground with a mobile phone station called Elara 60 Series and showcased our continued commitment to expanding the ecosystem with partners such as Zoom, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and more. As Poly, we bring a new level of quality, simplicity, and flexibility so that every communication can easily become a place for collaboration and innovation for the enterprise.


"Gen Z and Millennials came up in an era of digitization, so they are more accustomed to the tools and technology to deal with distractions in the workplace."

M7: A recent study by Poly reveals that employees prefer noisier open offices to closed, quiet spaces. What do you think is responsible for driving these unique demands in the workplace today?
AB: Our research shows that Gen Z and Millennials tend to prefer open offices compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers and that more than half of Gen Z say they are most productive when they were working around noise. What we’re seeing is that Gen Z and Millennials came up in an era of digitization, so they are more accustomed to the tools and technology to deal with distractions in the workplace. For example, they’re used to wearing noise-canceling headphones to block out the background noise, and similarly at home with video. They’ve been doing it all their lives!

Now that we can work from anywhere – coffee shops, airports, waiting rooms – we are more accustomed to dealing with distractions and working through them. We take that mindset into the office along with the tools we may use to address distraction, from a pair of comfortable headphones with ANC to deciding to do different types of work in different settings.

M7: What features have made Poly Studio win the 'Best of Enterprise Connect' award in the '2019 Communication/Collaboration Device'?
AB: Poly Studio is our answer to the need for easy-to-use video conferencing devices for smaller spaces called huddle rooms. Poly Studio is a video USB bar with premium audio and video capabilities. Its standout features include NoiseBlock, which mutes distracting background noises, Automatic Group Framing and Speaker Tracking, which zooms in to focus on the speaking participant. This board-room like audio and video transforms small meeting rooms into a center for collaboration. We’re also pleased that it was recently certified for Zoom Rooms and Microsoft Teams. The device also works with Skype for Business, Google Meet, Cisco WebEx and Amazon Chime, and virtually any cloud-based video collaboration service.


"Poly combines legendary audio expertise with powerful video and conferencing capabilities to help our users overcome the distractions, complexity, and distance, making communication in and out of the workplace challenging."

M7: What traits make Poly a global leader in communications and a leading choice for every kind of workspace?
AB: Our in-depth expertise, tireless innovation, and emphasis on partnership make Poly a global leader in communications and a leading choice for every kind of workspace.

Poly combines legendary audio expertise with powerful video and conferencing capabilities to help our users overcome the distractions, complexity, and distance, making communication in and out of the workplace challenging. When the world was on a race to space in the ’60s, NASA approached us—Plantronics back then—with a seemingly impossible task: create a headset that would equip astronauts to communicate with Mission Control from the earth to the moon, and back again.

Fifty years later, we share the same mission today: to create powerful connections that unify people the world over. We’re designing technology for the different ways people work – open offices, remote locations, mobile-first workers. We are the largest provider of headsets, video and audio-conferencing devices that you use to communicate and collaborate for your work, whatever that may be. And we continue to innovate with products like Poly Studio X that change how people collaborate.
Through partnerships with industry leaders like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Zoom, Poly takes an open-architecture approach that allows users to seamlessly connect across all the best technologies. Whenever and wherever people connect with these services, we will be there to provide the best-in-class audio, video and voice technology to make the experience that much better.

M7: What’s your superpower or spirit animal?
AB: My superpower is the ability to read amazingly quickly, thanks to the experimental elementary school I attended. I don’t know how anyone gets through their workload without it, honestly. My spirit animal? I told my husband the other day that I think it is Tom Petty. I’m a huge fan. If you have a problem, there is a Tom Petty song that can solve it, or at least make it more fun.

ABOUT POLY

Plantronics, Inc. (“Poly” – formerly Plantronics and Polycom) (NYSE: PLT) is a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration. Poly combines legendary audio expertise and powerful video and conferencing capabilities to overcome the distractions, complexity, and distance that make communication in and out of the workplace challenging. Poly believes in solutions that make life easier when they work together and with our partner’s services. Our headsets, software, desk phones, audio and video conferencing, analytics and services are used worldwide and are a leading choice for every kind of workspace.

More C-Suite on deck

Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | January 9, 2020

Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus is also an author and host of the podcast FlipmyFunnel. He is one of the leading minds in B2B marketing. MEDIA 7: What are you passionate about? SANGRAM VAJRE: Three things: Lead professionally. Grow personally. Love family. M7: Terminus has been recognized as one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing companies by ACG Atlanta. What factors contribute to this pace? SV: One of our core values is #OneTeam – which means we think and act as one team and know that if we treat our team right, they will treat our customers amazing. There are no great companies, only great people that make those companies.

Read More

Q&A with Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder, SharpEnd

Media 7 | April 22, 2020

Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder of SharpEnd leads the company’s mission to help brands move closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity. He is a regular speaker and writer on how to build brands in a connected world. He has spoken at Cannes, the Festival of Marketing, LuxePack Monaco and New York, Ad:Week Europe and New York, DMA, the Connected Consumer Conference, Mobile World Congress and the IoT World Forum. MEDIA 7: How did the idea of “the agency of things” come to your mind? CAMERON WORTH: SharpEnd was created in 2015 as the world’s first Internet of Things focused agency, so there is a slight play on words when we say we��re the Agency of Things. I think the idea of giving things their own agency is an interesting concept, and the strapline fits our capabilities on multiple levels. M7: In what way does technology drive the association of SharpEnd with global brands? What approaches are followed to enable sustainability? CW: Our simple proposition is to help build brands in a connected world, and to do that you must always start with identified consumer needs or pain points and look at technology as just an enabler to deliver an appropriate solution (when appropriate).  Take the issue of sustainability, which is often a pain point for brands that grapple with issues such as how we can reward sustainable behaviour change. One of our approaches to this could be to look at communicating the recycling credentials of the different products. Whilst the consumer can engage with a product as part of a wider consumer experience, the same technology could also house content that could tell you whether the product is recyclable, which type of bin it goes in etc. SharpEnd’s work with Unilever is a case in point. We built a digital product that incentivised recycling through gamification but also served to educate through informing people how and where to recycle in a clear fashion. All users had to do was simply scan their packaging to have all this information at their disposal.

Read More

Q&A with Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD

MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

Read More

Q&A with Sangram Vajre, Co-founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus

MEDIA 7 | January 9, 2020

Sangram Vajre, Co-Founder & Chief Evangelist at Terminus is also an author and host of the podcast FlipmyFunnel. He is one of the leading minds in B2B marketing. MEDIA 7: What are you passionate about? SANGRAM VAJRE: Three things: Lead professionally. Grow personally. Love family. M7: Terminus has been recognized as one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing companies by ACG Atlanta. What factors contribute to this pace? SV: One of our core values is #OneTeam – which means we think and act as one team and know that if we treat our team right, they will treat our customers amazing. There are no great companies, only great people that make those companies.

Read More

Q&A with Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder, SharpEnd

Media 7 | April 22, 2020

Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder of SharpEnd leads the company’s mission to help brands move closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity. He is a regular speaker and writer on how to build brands in a connected world. He has spoken at Cannes, the Festival of Marketing, LuxePack Monaco and New York, Ad:Week Europe and New York, DMA, the Connected Consumer Conference, Mobile World Congress and the IoT World Forum. MEDIA 7: How did the idea of “the agency of things” come to your mind? CAMERON WORTH: SharpEnd was created in 2015 as the world’s first Internet of Things focused agency, so there is a slight play on words when we say we��re the Agency of Things. I think the idea of giving things their own agency is an interesting concept, and the strapline fits our capabilities on multiple levels. M7: In what way does technology drive the association of SharpEnd with global brands? What approaches are followed to enable sustainability? CW: Our simple proposition is to help build brands in a connected world, and to do that you must always start with identified consumer needs or pain points and look at technology as just an enabler to deliver an appropriate solution (when appropriate).  Take the issue of sustainability, which is often a pain point for brands that grapple with issues such as how we can reward sustainable behaviour change. One of our approaches to this could be to look at communicating the recycling credentials of the different products. Whilst the consumer can engage with a product as part of a wider consumer experience, the same technology could also house content that could tell you whether the product is recyclable, which type of bin it goes in etc. SharpEnd’s work with Unilever is a case in point. We built a digital product that incentivised recycling through gamification but also served to educate through informing people how and where to recycle in a clear fashion. All users had to do was simply scan their packaging to have all this information at their disposal.

Read More

Q&A with Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD

MEDIA 7 | December 5, 2019

Andrea Lechner-Becker, Chief Marketing Officer at LeadMD is an experienced Marketing and Sales Executive with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in Business Process, Marketo, Sales, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and IT Service Management, Andrea is also a strong business development professional and a storyteller. MEDIA 7: What inspired you to get into marketing? ANDREA LECHNER: Frankly, not having better options. I originally attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse thinking I’d major in Archaeology. I wanted to be Indiana Jones! But, after visiting the archaeology building – i.e. the cold, dark basement of the science building – where a girl sat to piece together pieces of an old Native American vase, I knew archaeology was not going to be the right path for me. And so, without being good at science and a major in art or art history was unlikely to pay my bills, I decided to go into “business”. I originally registered as a management major, but took my first marketing class and thought it was more interesting and switched my sophomore year. That was pretty much it. I’d never been involved in business classes or DECA in high school – I didn’t really know what to do or what jobs in marketing were even possible. I dumb lucked myself into it really. M7: As a storyteller, do you relate the brand to a story or story to the brand? AL: Both? Neither? I think there are stories in every brand, because there are people working on the brand and people engaging with the brand and people using what the brand creates. People, most often a single person, are at the heart of great stories. You can start with the “point” of the story you’re trying to tell. Say you have a software that help accountants better create reports for board meetings. It’s likely you’ll want to tell a success story about an accountant getting promoted to CFO in part because your software helped better communicate their work product to the board. You could have the idea for that and go looking for that story in your customers. OR, you could hear that story, and say, “That’s amazing!” and share it with customers, partners and internal people. Stories are all around us – the most important thing is to keep your ears and eyes open for finding them.

Read More

Related News

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

Amplex Internet Selects IP Infusion OcNOS® to Upgrade Network

IP Infusion | March 17, 2023

IP Infusion, a leading provider of open network software and solutions for wireline and mobile network operators, announced today that Amplex Internet, a telecommunications company serving thousands of households in Ohio, has chosen IP Infusion’s OcNOS® Aggregation Router with MPLS to upgrade and future-proof its carrier-class network. Amplex selected IP Infusion, along with partners Edgecore Networks and UfiSpace, for the dramatic disaggregation benefits that open a cost-effective upgrade path to a 100GB core and distribution network. As a wireless and fiber provider with a multitude of remote sites, Amplex has a complex network topology where equipment costs are a significant factor in its operations. IP Infusion’s open networking architecture broadens its hardware options without sacrificing performance or reliability and reduces costly supply chain disruptions. Network consultancy IP ArchiTechs provided expertise in developing the open networking design template alongside distribution partner EPS Global. The upgrade makes it feasible for the Amplex network to support numerous modern features, such as SR-MPLS, historically only available from a higher-end routing solution. IP Infusion bridges Amplex’s customer edge and netElastic virtual Broadband Network Gateways while its interoperability with legacy Juniper and Ciena equipment enables a seamless upgrade. Because many sites have multiple links, Amplex enabled TI-LFA Fast Reroute to ensure sub 50-millisecond failover between links to avoid any disruptions to customers in the event of a link failure. “We were looking for a lower-cost alternative to our current vendor for carrier-class equipment, as well as support for modern carrier network feature sets like SR-MPLS,” said Mark Radabaugh, President of Amplex. “Completing a ‘forklift upgrade’ of the network is a long, expensive, and complex process. IP Infusion, UfiSpace, and Edgecore provide a path to a 100GB core and distribution network.” “The open network solution we created for Amplex provided the networking features they were looking for at a price point that aligned with their growing business objectives,” said Vincent Schuele, Director of Engineering and Senior Network Architect for IP ArchiTechs. “In many scenarios, our direct experience with IP Infusion, UfiSpace, and Edgecore Networks has demonstrated that open networking is not only a good substitute for many legacy applications, but in some cases is the best alternative with the unique benefits of a disaggregated network deployment.” “As a successful regional Internet service provider for nearly three decades, Amplex has long demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality Internet service to its customers,” said Atsushi Ogata, CEO and President of IP Infusion. “We are excited to support their evolution to disaggregation, which opens the door to new revenue streams, faster innovation, and lower costs.” About IP Infusion IP Infusion is a leading provider of open network software and solutions for carriers, service providers, and data center operators with over 500 customers and thousands of deployments. Our solutions enable network operators to disaggregate their networks to accelerate innovation, streamline operations, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Network OEMs may also disaggregate network devices to expedite time to market, offer comprehensive services, and achieve carrier grade robustness

Read More

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

GCORE LAUNCHES 5G eSIM CLOUD SOLUTION WITH CONNECTIVITY IN 150+ COUNTRIES

prnewswire | March 23, 2023

Gcore — a European provider of high-performance, low-latency, international cloud, and edge solutions — announces the launch of its Zero-Trust 5G eSIM Cloud platform, which provides organizations worldwide with a secure, reliable, high-speed networking solution. A technological foundation for next-generation AI applications, Gcore's Zero-Trust 5G eSIM Cloud platform will fuel the creation of new business models. Leveraging Gcore's software-defined embedded SIM (eSIM), businesses can seamlessly and securely connect to corporate resources, remote devices, or Gcore's cloud platform via local 5G carriers. With secure private access to IaaS and PaaS Edge Cloud services, Gcore's 5G eSIM offers a compelling solution to the coverage, reliability and handoff challenges associated with wireless and wireline LANs. Using the solution, business teams can access AI infrastructure from their mobile devices. The solution drives significant cost savings by eliminating the need for unpredictable roaming fees or expensive, complex local area network (LAN) builds. Andre Reitenbach, CEO of Gcore, comments: "The launch of Cloud Computing powered by 5G eSIM technology marks a major milestone for Gcore. Using our solution, enterprises can now embrace the next-generation of AI-powered applications including smart factories, Connected Internet of Things, and machine-learning diagnostics among others." Seva Vayner, Director of Edge Cloud stream, comments: "Gcore's 5G eSIM Cloud technology liberates IT teams from the burden of building and maintaining unreliable LANs, along with the security challenges that come with mobile network access. Our innovative approach provides encrypted access to 5G networks that are protected by telco-grade security, while also enabling granular security protocols that empower IT with complete control of each individual device." Available in more than 150 countries worldwide, Gcore's 5G eSIM Cloud solution provides a powerful foundation for remote working and mobility applications, while delivering the fastest, best-performing mobile access to the Gcore Cloud and its associated AI, IaaS, and PaaS capabilities. About Gcore Gcore is an international leader in public cloud and edge computing, content delivery,and security solutions. Gcore manages its own global IT infrastructure across 6 continents. Its network consists of 140+ PoP around the world in reliable Tier IV and Tier III datacentres. Gcore provides infrastructure to global companies, including TEDx, Bandai Namco, Wargaming, and Avast. Andre Reitenbach has been the CEO at Gcore since 2014.

Read More

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

Lightpath Launches Enhanced Long-Haul Network in 8 Major US Cities

Lightpath | March 15, 2023

On March 14, 2023, Lightpath, a revolutionary infrastructure-based, all-fiber connectivity provider, announced the launch of an improved national long-haul network. It will provide Ethernet and high bandwidth wavelength services between New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Ashburn, and Miami. Customers of Lightpath can select bandwidth options of up to 100 GBPS via switched Ethernet or wavelength service. Long-distance customers can also quickly increase their bandwidth as their needs evolve. This high-performance network will serve as the intercity core, connecting its core markets of Boston Metro, New York Metro, and Miami Metro. In addition, Lightpath now allows long-haul customers to connect locally in non-core long-haul cities, such as Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Ashburn. The company can provide these customers with all-fiber connectivity from its local long-haul point-of-presence to their desired endpoint. This enhanced long-haul network also expands connectivity options for customers interested in New York to Ashburn express route announced earlier, which is more geographically diverse than typical Interstate 95 routes. In addition, this route provides customers with Ashburn endpoints with direct access to locations in the New York metropolitan area. Chris Morley, CEO of Lightpath, commented, "Many Lightpath customers require powerful connectivity between major cities – connectivity that is reliable as well as easily scalable. This enhanced long-haul network will address those needs, while adding the ability to connect them locally - all in a single bundle from Lightpath, with Lightpath support standing behind it." He added, “These long-haul enhancements create a cohesive and powerful long-haul solution that offers customers incredible performance with the highest levels of reliability." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Lightpath Lightpath's advanced fiber-optic network and next-generation customer service transform how customers connect to their digital destinations. With over 30 years of experience, it offers custom-engineered connectivity solutions with unparalleled reliability, performance, and security. It uses a consultative approach, working closely with customers to plan, deliver, and support solutions that efficiently meet their unique needs. As a result, the company has become the go-to provider for thousands of governments, enterprises, and educators seeking to power their innovation

Read More

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

Amplex Internet Selects IP Infusion OcNOS® to Upgrade Network

IP Infusion | March 17, 2023

IP Infusion, a leading provider of open network software and solutions for wireline and mobile network operators, announced today that Amplex Internet, a telecommunications company serving thousands of households in Ohio, has chosen IP Infusion’s OcNOS® Aggregation Router with MPLS to upgrade and future-proof its carrier-class network. Amplex selected IP Infusion, along with partners Edgecore Networks and UfiSpace, for the dramatic disaggregation benefits that open a cost-effective upgrade path to a 100GB core and distribution network. As a wireless and fiber provider with a multitude of remote sites, Amplex has a complex network topology where equipment costs are a significant factor in its operations. IP Infusion’s open networking architecture broadens its hardware options without sacrificing performance or reliability and reduces costly supply chain disruptions. Network consultancy IP ArchiTechs provided expertise in developing the open networking design template alongside distribution partner EPS Global. The upgrade makes it feasible for the Amplex network to support numerous modern features, such as SR-MPLS, historically only available from a higher-end routing solution. IP Infusion bridges Amplex’s customer edge and netElastic virtual Broadband Network Gateways while its interoperability with legacy Juniper and Ciena equipment enables a seamless upgrade. Because many sites have multiple links, Amplex enabled TI-LFA Fast Reroute to ensure sub 50-millisecond failover between links to avoid any disruptions to customers in the event of a link failure. “We were looking for a lower-cost alternative to our current vendor for carrier-class equipment, as well as support for modern carrier network feature sets like SR-MPLS,” said Mark Radabaugh, President of Amplex. “Completing a ‘forklift upgrade’ of the network is a long, expensive, and complex process. IP Infusion, UfiSpace, and Edgecore provide a path to a 100GB core and distribution network.” “The open network solution we created for Amplex provided the networking features they were looking for at a price point that aligned with their growing business objectives,” said Vincent Schuele, Director of Engineering and Senior Network Architect for IP ArchiTechs. “In many scenarios, our direct experience with IP Infusion, UfiSpace, and Edgecore Networks has demonstrated that open networking is not only a good substitute for many legacy applications, but in some cases is the best alternative with the unique benefits of a disaggregated network deployment.” “As a successful regional Internet service provider for nearly three decades, Amplex has long demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest quality Internet service to its customers,” said Atsushi Ogata, CEO and President of IP Infusion. “We are excited to support their evolution to disaggregation, which opens the door to new revenue streams, faster innovation, and lower costs.” About IP Infusion IP Infusion is a leading provider of open network software and solutions for carriers, service providers, and data center operators with over 500 customers and thousands of deployments. Our solutions enable network operators to disaggregate their networks to accelerate innovation, streamline operations, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Network OEMs may also disaggregate network devices to expedite time to market, offer comprehensive services, and achieve carrier grade robustness

Read More

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

GCORE LAUNCHES 5G eSIM CLOUD SOLUTION WITH CONNECTIVITY IN 150+ COUNTRIES

prnewswire | March 23, 2023

Gcore — a European provider of high-performance, low-latency, international cloud, and edge solutions — announces the launch of its Zero-Trust 5G eSIM Cloud platform, which provides organizations worldwide with a secure, reliable, high-speed networking solution. A technological foundation for next-generation AI applications, Gcore's Zero-Trust 5G eSIM Cloud platform will fuel the creation of new business models. Leveraging Gcore's software-defined embedded SIM (eSIM), businesses can seamlessly and securely connect to corporate resources, remote devices, or Gcore's cloud platform via local 5G carriers. With secure private access to IaaS and PaaS Edge Cloud services, Gcore's 5G eSIM offers a compelling solution to the coverage, reliability and handoff challenges associated with wireless and wireline LANs. Using the solution, business teams can access AI infrastructure from their mobile devices. The solution drives significant cost savings by eliminating the need for unpredictable roaming fees or expensive, complex local area network (LAN) builds. Andre Reitenbach, CEO of Gcore, comments: "The launch of Cloud Computing powered by 5G eSIM technology marks a major milestone for Gcore. Using our solution, enterprises can now embrace the next-generation of AI-powered applications including smart factories, Connected Internet of Things, and machine-learning diagnostics among others." Seva Vayner, Director of Edge Cloud stream, comments: "Gcore's 5G eSIM Cloud technology liberates IT teams from the burden of building and maintaining unreliable LANs, along with the security challenges that come with mobile network access. Our innovative approach provides encrypted access to 5G networks that are protected by telco-grade security, while also enabling granular security protocols that empower IT with complete control of each individual device." Available in more than 150 countries worldwide, Gcore's 5G eSIM Cloud solution provides a powerful foundation for remote working and mobility applications, while delivering the fastest, best-performing mobile access to the Gcore Cloud and its associated AI, IaaS, and PaaS capabilities. About Gcore Gcore is an international leader in public cloud and edge computing, content delivery,and security solutions. Gcore manages its own global IT infrastructure across 6 continents. Its network consists of 140+ PoP around the world in reliable Tier IV and Tier III datacentres. Gcore provides infrastructure to global companies, including TEDx, Bandai Namco, Wargaming, and Avast. Andre Reitenbach has been the CEO at Gcore since 2014.

Read More

ENTERPRISE MOBILITY,MOBILE OS

Lightpath Launches Enhanced Long-Haul Network in 8 Major US Cities

Lightpath | March 15, 2023

On March 14, 2023, Lightpath, a revolutionary infrastructure-based, all-fiber connectivity provider, announced the launch of an improved national long-haul network. It will provide Ethernet and high bandwidth wavelength services between New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Ashburn, and Miami. Customers of Lightpath can select bandwidth options of up to 100 GBPS via switched Ethernet or wavelength service. Long-distance customers can also quickly increase their bandwidth as their needs evolve. This high-performance network will serve as the intercity core, connecting its core markets of Boston Metro, New York Metro, and Miami Metro. In addition, Lightpath now allows long-haul customers to connect locally in non-core long-haul cities, such as Philadelphia, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Ashburn. The company can provide these customers with all-fiber connectivity from its local long-haul point-of-presence to their desired endpoint. This enhanced long-haul network also expands connectivity options for customers interested in New York to Ashburn express route announced earlier, which is more geographically diverse than typical Interstate 95 routes. In addition, this route provides customers with Ashburn endpoints with direct access to locations in the New York metropolitan area. Chris Morley, CEO of Lightpath, commented, "Many Lightpath customers require powerful connectivity between major cities – connectivity that is reliable as well as easily scalable. This enhanced long-haul network will address those needs, while adding the ability to connect them locally - all in a single bundle from Lightpath, with Lightpath support standing behind it." He added, “These long-haul enhancements create a cohesive and powerful long-haul solution that offers customers incredible performance with the highest levels of reliability." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Lightpath Lightpath's advanced fiber-optic network and next-generation customer service transform how customers connect to their digital destinations. With over 30 years of experience, it offers custom-engineered connectivity solutions with unparalleled reliability, performance, and security. It uses a consultative approach, working closely with customers to plan, deliver, and support solutions that efficiently meet their unique needs. As a result, the company has become the go-to provider for thousands of governments, enterprises, and educators seeking to power their innovation

Read More

Spotlight

Poly

Poly

Plantronics, Inc. (“Poly” – formerly Plantronics and Polycom) (NYSE: PLT) is a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration. Poly combines legendary audio expertise and powerful video and conferencing capabilities to overcome the distractions, complexity, a...

Events

6th International Conference on Computer Networks and Inventive Communication Technologies

Conference

15th International Conference on Computer Networks & Communications (CoNeCo 2023)

Conference

Cranking Up the Upstream

Webinar

Resources

resource image

Poly - The Power of Many

Video

resource image

Poly - The Power of Many

Video

resource image

Perils of the open office

infographic

resource image

Reduce interruptions.Boost productivity.

Whitepaper

Events