Polycom vs Cisco: Choosing the Right Business Communication Solution

Polycom vs Cisco: Choosing the Right Business Communication Solution

Cisco has a wide range of products designed to work seamlessly together, while Polycom focuses on a more limited selection that is interoperable and open to multiple vendors. Both companies offer products and solutions for audio, video, and integration/collaboration needs. So, which brand will best meet your business communication needs?

Differences Between Polycom and Cisco

General Overview:

  • Year Founded:Polycom: 1990Cisco: 1984

  • Optimization:Polycom: Open-source SIP systemCisco: Proprietary Cisco Call Manager

  • Product Categories:Polycom: Products and services categorized by environmentCisco: Products and services categorized by business scale (small, medium)

  • Notable Acquisitions:Polycom: Vivu, Destiny conferencing, Accodent TechnologiesCisco: Linksys, IronPort, WebEx

  • Major Products:Polycom: SoundStation IP Conference phones, Siren Codecs, VVX phones, OTX, Polycom RealPresenceCisco: Unified management/Data, Cisco United Fabric, WebEx, Cisco Telepresence

  • Affordability:Polycom: Generally higher pricedCisco: More affordable

  • Product and Service Range:Polycom: HD telepresence and video, conferencing and desktop voice solutions, UC infrastructure, software and accessories, Microsoft products, customer care, professional and partner services.Cisco: Telepresence, video, wireless, unified communications and computing, cloud and system management collaboration, application networking services, WebEx collaboration, routing, data center and virtualization services, switching, storage networking, etc.

Product Category Comparison

Cisco’s product offering is broad, targeting businesses of all sizes. Polycom, however, provides specialized solutions tailored to specific environments such as home offices, mobile setups, theaters, and conference rooms.

Meeting Room Experience

  • Polycom RealPresence: Competes with giants like WebEx and GoTo. Offers high-quality audio and video calls, background noise cancellation, and the ability to attach files during chats. It does not require much bandwidth, making it ideal for office meetings. Popular browser version for easy access without installation.

  • Cisco WebEx: Offers lag-free conference calls with stable internet, chat recording, and connectivity via web app, desktop, or Android phone. Integrates well with Microsoft Outlook, web browsers, and Microsoft Office. Ideal for companies using Cisco Call Manager.

Affordability

Polycom products are high-end and easy to program but come at a higher cost. Cisco products are generally more affordable but may not match Polycom's build quality or audio performance, particularly in the Linksys phone line.

Polycom vs Cisco Video Conferencing

Polycom Trio 8800

  • Uses advanced technology to enhance video and audio performance.

  • Features include Polycom NoiseBlock, 2-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, Wi-Fi connectivity, hybrid registration support, and can connect to multiple platforms.

  • Allows up to 3 separate lines to be registered and supports IP, USB, or Bluetooth pairing.

Cisco IP Conference Phone 8832

  • High-quality wideband audio, portable and stylish design, 360-degree room coverage for up to 26 attendees.

  • Suitable for medium to large meeting rooms (800 sq. ft.) and private desks.

Comparison:

  • Display: Polycom Trio 8800 has a 5” multicolored touchscreen, Cisco 8832 has a 3.9” color, antiglare display.

  • Line Keys: Trio 8800 has 3, Cisco 8832 has 4 programmable keys.

  • Audio: Trio 8800 uses HD Polycom Audio Technology, Cisco 8832 offers wideband audio, full duplex.

  • AI: Trio 8800 features Polycom NoiseBlock, Cisco 8832 uses NoiseBlock AI.

  • Network Port: Trio 8800 has 2 Gigabit ports, Cisco 8832 has 1 Ethernet port.

  • USB Ports: Trio 8800 has 1, Cisco 8832 has none.

  • Security: Trio 8800 supports log-in password, SRTP, and Wi-Fi encryption; Cisco 8832 supports SHA 256 encryption.

  • Wi-Fi Support: Both support Wi-Fi.

Conclusion

Both Polycom and Cisco are leaders in IT, offering phones, servers, and device hardware that manages data in the cloud. Cisco excels in product and solution diversity, while Polycom specializes in highly personalized products. Cisco is ideal for sites with existing Cisco infrastructure, while Polycom is preferred for its endpoint functionality and added value.

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