BellSouth Communication Systems and Polycom Announce Distribution Agreement For ViewStation Group Videoconferencing System

ATLANTA, Ga. and SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- BellSouth Communication Systems, Inc. and Polycom(R), Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM) today announced that they have signed an agreement for distribution of Polycom's market-leading ViewStation(TM) group videoconferencing products. Working directly with Polycom, BellSouth Communication Systems will now offer ViewStation to its customers within its nine-state Southeastern U.S. region, significantly broadening market reach for Polycom's high performance, easy-to-use, and affordable videoconferencing products.

"We're excited to be working with Polycom to bring ViewStation to our customers," said Juliette Johnson, Product Manager, Emerging Technologies for BellSouth Communication Systems. "With the power of video networking across ISDN, ATM and frame relay, ViewStation provides high-quality video efficiency over these heterogenous, cost-effective, multipurpose telecommunications networks for greater quality of service and connectivity. This relationship with Polycom will accelerate customer successes with implementing videoconferencing. Polycom has succeeded in pioneering sensible technology that not only provides the highest product performance, but also offers the features, ease of use and price point that will lead business videoconferencing into the 21st century."

"Working with BellSouth Communication Systems, we can now provide even more customers with the high-performance, truly easy to use videoconferencing products that they need in today's challenging business environment," said Dale Bastian, Polycom's vice president worldwide sales and service. "With the combination of BellSouth's extensive customer reach and Polycom's innovative videoconferencing products, we can continue to make affordable, state-of-the-art videoconferencing available to organizations of any size."

Fully H.323 ready since its inception, Polycom's ViewStation group videoconferencing systems provide high-performance video and a full feature set in Polycom's trademark compact, set-top form factor. Available in several versions that offer video performance from 128kbps at 15 frames per second up to 768kbps full motion video, ViewStation products include voice-activated camera tracking and the industry's first implementation of an embedded Web server as standard features. ViewStation's embedded Web server enables easy access for remote system management and diagnostics, simple software upgrades via the Internet or intranet, and also provides a convenient and reliable way to display presentations from local or remote connections.

With features built-in throughout the system for ease of use, from automatic network set-up to an entirely graphical user interface, ViewStation integrates quickly and seamlessly, and is fully interoperable with existing videoconferencing systems.

BellSouth Communication Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of BellSouth Corporation, offers customers powerful voice and data services that include not only traditional key systems and private branch exchange switches, but also enhanced voice messaging services, on-premise wireless services, data services, call center services, integrated voice response services and many others. By adding Polycom's ViewStation to its extensive product portfolio, BellSouth Communication Systems now supports the transmission of full-motion, full-color images with high quality audio in real time.

About BellSouth

BellSouth Communication Systems, Inc. is a subsidiary of BellSouth Corporation, a $21 billion communications services company. It provides telecommunications, wireless communications, directory advertising and publishing, and Internet and information services to more than 30 million customers in 20 countries worldwide. For more information on BellSouth Communication Systems, Inc., visit the Web Site at www.bellsouth.com/bcs.

About Polycom

Leading the teleconferencing industry, Polycom is the only company in the world that develops, manufactures and markets a full range of high-quality group audio, data and videoconferencing products. Polycom's innovative, award-winning teleconferencing products provide customers with high performance and ease of use at an affordable price. For additional information, call 800-POLYCOM or 408-526-9000 or visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com.

NOTE: Polycom and the Polycom logo design are registered trademarks and ViewStation is a trademark of Polycom, Inc. in the U.S. and various countries.

SOURCE Polycom, Inc.

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/CONTACT: Nancy Longacre of BellSouth Communication Systems, 404-471-0994, or longacre@bellsouth.net; or Sue O'Neil of Polycom, Inc., 408-474-2746, or soneil@polycom.com; or Molly Wilcox of Phase Two Strategies, 415-772-8420, or molly_wilcox@p2pr.com/

/Web site: http://www.bellsouth.com/bcs/

/Web site: http://www.polycom.com/

(PLCM)

CO: Polycom, Inc.; BellSouth Communications Systems, Inc. ST: California, Georgia IN: TLS CPR SU: LIC

DP-MP -- SFW009 -- 3640 09/16/98 08:01 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com