Belgacom and Barco combine their expertise
Kortrijk, Belgium, 18th of February 2003 – Building on their long-standing experience with top-class videoconferencing and visual-display systems, Belgacom and Barco have joined forces to produce a unique standard configuration for a state-of-the-art meeting room installation. The Belgacom Integrated Videocommunication (BIV) system combines ulta-modern visual-display technology (a Barco speciality) and all-round connectivity (a Belgacom speciality) into a prestigious whole, to create a comprehensive system which seamlessly integrates IT and audiovisual technologies. This specific configuration is a first in Europe.
The BIV system has a Barco intelligent rear projection system and a large screen specifically keyed to this application. Barco also provides the integrated server which ensures seamless interaction between the range of applications (such as videoconferencing between various sites simultaneously, file-sharing, whiteboarding, TV or Internet).Barco is currently the only producer in the world to include sophisticated picture-in-picture features into the design of the projector itself. Thanks to these features, video images of those participating can be shown during videoconferences, as well as the presentations themselves. At the same time, real-time interaction on a particular document is possible from the various meeting points. With BIV, the various meeting rooms are linked together into a sort of large interactive meeting space.
Belgacom acts as the market integrator and handles convergence at network level. The BIV system can work with a broad mix of networks and can also manage all forms of connectivity, such as ISDN, IP-VPN, ADSL and SDSL.
This partnership has been established to provide customers with a better service and is not just based on R&D and fine-tuning specific products. Belgacom and Barco also make their own helpdesks available in order to provide an aftersales service.
Barco and Belgacom intend to jointly develop and enhance the concept further.
In the meantime, companies such as the European firm Fluxys and the Joint Research Center in Ispra, Italy, are having the current BIV system installed in their meeting rooms.
About Belgacom (www.belgacom.be)
Belgacom SA, headquartered in Brussels, the heart of Europe, is the leading supplier of global telecommunications solutions on the Belgian market. The company is owned by the Belgian state (50% + one share) and ADSB Telecommunications (50% - one share), an international consortium made up of SBC, Singapore Telecom, TDC and a group of investors from the financial sector.Belgacom is the leading supplier of global telecommunications solutions on the Belgian market. The Belgacom group mainly offers local, intercity and international voice and data services, cellular telephone services, satellite services, carrier services and all Internet-related services. Its mobile subsidiary Belgacom Mobile (75% Belgacom, 25% Vodafone) had 4,253,000 customers in December 2002. Since 1996, Belgacom has been offering Belgacom World Solutions, which cover more than 220 countries and territories and through which customers can connect their various business centers based on a single telecom standard. At the end of 2002, the Belgacom Group had 19,003 employees. Turnover in 2002 amounted to EUR 5.220 billion (unaudited figure).
For more information, please contact Jan MARGOT at Belgacom, Tel: +32 2 202 85 01 or +32 475 58 50 37
About Barco(www.barco.com)
Barco, an international company headquartered in Kortrijk, Belgium, is active in three key areas of imaging technology. Barco designs and develops solutions for large screen visualization, display solutions for life-critical applications, and systems for visual inspection. Barco has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in almost 100 countries. Barco is quoted on Brussels/Euronext, is a BEL 20 and a Next 150 company, and is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.
For more information, please contact
