Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC)

The video conference "switch" largest in own way — the new Consortium of Open Video Communications Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC) organization — will provide high-quality interface of networks of service providers, having as much as possible facilitated for the enterprises, government agencies, educational institutions, health facilities and other organizations use of telepresence and video conferences for communication with each other at any moment of and without any cares of network compatibility. OVCC will become the first organization which constructed the global system of video communications based on standards and integrating a great number of suppliers and networks. Unlike proprietary means of ensuring of video communications, participants of OVCC plan support of all range of video systems — from telepresence with effect of "immersion" and video conference rooms to the systems of high and standard definition and, at last, desktop clients and mobile devices.

• The list of founders of the consortium OVCC sponsored by Polycom company includes Airtel companies, AT&T, BCS Global, BT Conferencing, Cable&Wireless Worldwide, Global Crossing, Glowpoint, iFormata Communications, Masergy, Orange Business Services, PCCW Global, Telefonica, Telstra and Verizon, and is in the future planned attraction and other service providers.
• The purpose of participants of OVCC — to provide the reliable, based on standards intercorporate communication to the organizations and the consumers connected to hundreds of different service providers worldwide that will make OVCC largest in own way global "videoswitch".
• For the proof of viability of the concept on January 28, 2011 participants of OVCC showed the first session of telepresence of high resolution which 18 systems based on standards from 12 different networks of service providers joined. Infrastructure of UC Intelligent Core™ of Polycom company served as the base for this historical multilateral session. The UC Intelligent Core technology is one of key innovation platforms which allows service providers to display B2B video conference for a framework of corporate firewalls and proprietary video platforms.
• Being a sponsor of consortium, the Polycom company fully uses for assistance to its creation the leading position in the development areas of standards and technology innovations and also the communications with other companies of the industry. This initiative is logical continuation of strategy of UCEverywhere™ of Polycom company — to give to people from different points of the globe an opportunity of communication and cooperation with the help of the most different devices and options of their application.

On October 31, 2011 official representation of consortium of open video communications Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC) – consolidation of the international service providers of video switching, network services and manufacturers of the equipment for the purpose of expansion of use of video conference took place. From this point to participation in consortium all companies of the video communication industry interested in acceleration of distribution of intercorporate (B2B) video conference are invited. Also board members and officials of consortium were announced. A task of members of OVCC is elimination of problems of network interaction and the service complicating video conference between the companies, way of regulation of the applied standards, developments of optimal techniques and agreements on network interaction. To the middle of 2012 service providers will be able already to provide stable B2B-video conference which will allow corporate users to make and accept video calls despite of corporate firewalls and variety of proprietary video platforms.

Among founders and members of OVCC there are some of the largest world suppliers of network services, for example:

• AT&T
• BCS Global
• Bharti Airtel
• BT Conferencing
• Dialogic, Inc.
• Masergy
• Orange Business Services
• Polycom, Inc.
• Teliris
• Telstra
• Verizon

Problem of this consolidation – to provide compatibility as standardized, and proprietary video systems. The service providers and the managed solutions entering into consortium set as the purpose universal implementation of video conference – consolidation of millions of users on the basis of agreements with the interacting service providers on six continents.

Service providers should develop and implement the technical specification OVCC based on industry standards, optimal techniques and business approaches in response to the need for interface of networks to coordination of addressing, signaling, interaction of platforms and service. High-quality full-function interaction of networks and devices will allow suppliers of network services to profit with high degree of predictability by the internal videoswitches. Having made requirements to interaction "invisible" to the enterprise, the OVCC specification will allow corporate users to receive the maximum return from the investments into the equipment of a video conferencing and to build more effective commercial chains covering clients, distributors and suppliers for increase in speed and efficiency of business processes.

"OVCC is the only organization which creates conditions for universal availability of video calls due to real connection of the communication "islands" existing today – the corporate, mobile and consumer systems, – Andrew Makfadzen, the president of OVCC says. – Market leaders of telecommunication technologies will work jointly on ensuring the high-quality video conference which is not depending on network, the platform and the equipment. We invite all concerned parties to combine efforts on simplification of video cooperation between the companies by implementation of multinetwork interaction between video systems of different suppliers".

In September members of OVCC elected Makfadzen (Orange Business Services company) the president of consortium, John Poulat (Polycom company) – the vice president and Clive Sokins (BCS Global company) – the secretary and the acting as the treasurer. Board members of consortium represent the companies entering into it: AT&T, BCS Global, Bharti Airtel, BT Conferencing, Masergy Communications, Orange Business Services, Polycom, Telstra, Teliris and Verizon.

OVCC provides three levels of membership: participant, sponsor and board member. The rights of members and the amount of membership fees depend on membership level.