Vietnam National Telecoms (VTN) has introduced Cisco (News - Alert) TelePresence to the country for the first time.

 

The Cisco TelePresence systems are among a range of advanced communications technologies that VTN is showcasing in two new information and communications technology (ICT) demonstration centers, which it has established in Hanoi and Hochihminh City.

 

Besides TelePresence, communications technologies and applications that span the public, enterprise and home, including Cisco Unified Communications, IPTV (News - Alert), 802.11n Wi-Fi, WiMAX, telemedicine and e-learning are also being featured in the two centers.

 

The Cisco TelePresence systems, an innovative communications technology, enable staff and visitors at each location to participate in face-to-face meetings across a virtual table.

 

The technology uses life-size, ultra-high-definition 1080p video and high-quality, spatial audio, and a specially designed environment to create immersive "in-person" experiences over the network.

 

Le Duc Hoa, VTN deputy general director, said that the two centers provide an advanced technological showcase designed to communicate to individuals and organizations in Vietnam the potential benefits of ICT for work, play, education and everyday life. He said similar centers may one day be built in other cities in the country.

 

"Cisco is honored to be a technology partner for VTN in their ICT demonstration centers. It is quite a feat for Vietnam to be the second country in Southeast Asia after Singapore to implement Cisco TelePresence. That shows the immense appetite for technology in this market. The Vietnamese understand the benefits of ICT very well and are not afraid to make the investments to make the leap to the latest technologies available. The network is the platform on which the Vietnamese will use ICT to ramp up economic growth in the country," said James Chia, general director, Cisco Vietnam, in a statement.

 

Cisco is the worldwide player in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate.

 

Earlier last month, the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) announced completion of upgrade of its network infrastructure at the university's campus in Tanjong Malim, using equipment from Cisco.

 

The project, worth RM3 million (US$1 million), is being leased through an innovative financing program from Cisco CapitalSM, a Cisco subsidiary.

 

With an increasing number of students, heavier applications traffic and various campus expansion projects, UPSI realized the need to upgrade its core network and take advantage of new technologies to create a more collaborative and productive work and study environment.

 

Cisco worked closely with systems integrator iTANIA, a local Cisco Registered Partner, to establish a high-speed and scalable Gigabit Ethernet network that serves as the backbone to connect the entire campus.

 

The new network connects 20 buildings for all faculties, enabling access for more than 15,000 students and 2,000 staff members of the campus. The 2 Gigabit Ethernet network, which is scalable to 8 Gigabit Ethernet, is powered by the latest network switching technology from Cisco.