Cisco Systems Inc., along with Microsoft Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., today announced new meeting room solutions designed to deliver enhanced collaboration experiences for hybrid meetings.

Announced at the Integrated Systems Europe conference in Barcelona, Spain, the new solutions are aimed at enabling seamless meetings for all through integrated video collaboration solutions for the Cisco Room Series. Cisco Room Series is a smart videoconferencing solution that runs on RoomOS, a hybrid work platform optimized for a native Webex experience while supporting seamless joining of third-party meetings.

The new solutions feature Front Row, an inclusive content layout for Microsoft Teams Rooms, with either Samsung’s 105-inch Smart Signage, including a 21:9 aspect ratio and 5k resolution, or Samsung’s 4k Smart Signage screens. Inclusive, in this context, refers to the design and implementation of collaboration solutions that ensure equal participation and accessibility for all individuals, regardless of their location, abilities or other factors.

Cisco argues that 98% of meetings today include at least one remote participant. Yet, of the 87 million meeting spaces, fewer than 15% are equipped with videoconferencing technology. This causes a situation in which, as companies attempt to attract employees back to the office, meeting experiences must be better than what people experience at home. 

“In today’s era of hybrid work, it is essential that workspaces are reimagined to enable great collaboration,” said Jeetu Patel, executive vice president and general manager of Security and Collaboration at Cisco. “This means outfitting conference rooms with intelligent video systems designed to bring immersive collaboration experiences to all participants, regardless of their location.”

The combination of Cisco’s RoomOS-powered collaboration appliances, Samsung’s Smart Signage displays and the Front Row layout available on Microsoft Teams Rooms devices provide seamless collaboration that eliminates distance between meeting participants. According to Cisco, the collaboration delivers a new standard for fully scalable, manageable and secure solutions for flagship meeting spaces.

Benefits of the partnership include immersive views, with Samsung’s 5K and 4K UHD displays providing lifelike, immersive experiences for hybrid meetings with vibrant colors in an ultra-slim design. Customers also benefit from advanced, artificial intelligence-powered collaboration, thanks to the integration of advanced camera, audio and speech intelligence capabilities on Cisco devices and in Microsoft Teams Rooms.

Through the partnership, information technology administrators can now access a fully managed solution in the Microsoft Teams Admin Center, complemented by insights into the meeting room with Cisco Control Hub. The companies say the partnership also ensures increased scalability, facilitated by integrating purpose-built devices, enhanced software experiences and comprehensive management tools, allowing for the delivery of hybrid work at large scale.

Photo: Cisco Amsterdam/ Wikimedia Commons