1. telstra: case study
Polycom video conferencing helPs boost Productivity across telstra
while cutting travel costs and carbon emissions
“telstra has changed the way telstra is australia’s leading
telstra country wide is working industry telecommunication and information
by introducing smartphones and it&t services company, providing a full
also the use of high definition range of integrated solutions over
video conferencing, so they customer next generation fixed and mobile
connect with each other and telstra networks.
also with their customers with situation telstra has an ongoing commitment
less travel. what we have seen telstra wanted to improve productivity to improve productivity within
is $1 million saving each year across a dispersed workforce while both its own organisation and that
in travel costs and also an supporting its commitment to of its customers. environmental
estimated 1100 tonnes reduction environmental sustainability responsibility is also a key
in carbon emissions.”
focus. telstra realised that video
solution domain
conferencing would promote both of
bill bien, executive director, unified communications
these aims while delivering cost-
marketing communications and
benefits efficiencies across a distributed
strategy, telstra enterprise and enterprise. accordingly, telstra
Per annum:
government enlisted the aid of Polycom to deploy
• $1 million travel savings and an
estimated 1100 tonnes carbon its world-leading video conferencing
emission reductions through solutions. this decision has delivered
increased productivity across a a rapid return on investment through
dispersed workforce of 650 people increased productive output, reduced
• $100,000 travel savings in te&g costs, enhanced work/life flexibility
marketing by having offsite and environmental sustainability.
meetings onsite.

2. “video conferencing relies on situation changed the way we work by allowing
the fact that we have the right telstra is one of australia’s largest our people to connect with each
units at the right places. we have companies, with operations covering other across the country much more
210 Polycom video conferencing a vast area of the continent, effectively.”
units, of which 170 are high stretching to new Zealand, asia and the strength of high definition video
definition units. it has changed beyond. managing these far-flung conferencing is that it facilitates
the way we work by allowing activities requires a high level of true-to-life meetings that allow
our people to connect with each communication and collaboration, participants to experience the same
other across the country much not just within the organisation but nuances of human interactions as in
more effectively.” also with suppliers, partners and live meetings. it is no surprise that the
customers. concept of ‘modern meetings’ is being
bill bien, executive director, embraced by organisations. as bill
telstra staff, in particular its
marketing communications and bien explains:
executives and sales teams, need
strategy, telstra enterprise and
to travel long distances to conduct “high definition video conferencing…
government
business. costly, inefficient and not makes meetings more effective.
aligned with telstra’s commitment and this is an important part of
to sustainability, avoidable travel the modern meeting concept. as a
hampered the company’s ability result, executives can have as many
to improve business performance meetings as they did in the past, but
and profitability in an increasingly they’re much richer, shorter, sharper.
complex environment. bill bien, so you get the productivity you need,
executive director, marketing but you’re still home at a good hour.”
communications and strategy, telstra
enterprise and government (te&g), the telstra next iP™ network is a key
explains: factor in the success of the solution,
as Joseph sigrist, senior vice President
“business is becoming more complex. and general manager, video solutions
there are more issues to think about, group, Polycom, confirms:
more dispersed teams… businesses
are looking for a way to make it “Polycom will continue to provide
simpler by connecting with customers, innovative new products and solutions
connecting with each other, and to telstra for their customers and will
that’s where solutions like video continue to leverage innovation to
conferencing come in.” the telstra next iP™ network to allow
telstra customers to have the highest
telstra turned to Polycom, a provider quality video and audio solutions.”
of world-leading telephony and video
conferencing solutions, to assist. benefits
one of the most important benefits
solution
of video conferencing is the power
Polycom collaborated closely with to do more work in less time. take
telstra to deploy the most effective the example of the marketing
and cost-efficient video conferencing communications and strategy team
solutions to meet their needs. as bill in te&g. conducting quarterly team
bien explains: meetings via Polycom high definition
“video conferencing relies on the fact video conferencing has significantly
that we have the right units at the improved productivity for the work
right places. we have 210 Polycom group. it has also improved individual
video conferencing units, of which productivity, including his own, says
170 are high definition units. it has bill bien:

3. “we use high definition video “we use high definition video conferencing, so they connect with
conferencing regularly for our conferencing regularly for our normal each other and also with their
normal meetings. we’ve also meetings. we’ve also replaced all customers with less travel. what
replaced all offsites with onsite- offsites with onsite-offsites, where we have seen is $1 million saving
offsites, where basically the 110 basically the 110 people in my each year in travel costs and also an
people in my organisation now organisation now meet by video estimated 1100 tonnes reduction in
meet by video conferencing. conferencing. by doing that we have carbon emissions.”
by doing that we have saved saved $100,000 per annum in travel
the carbon emissions saving is not a
$100,000 per annum in travel costs, and these are very effective
surprising outcome for Joseph sigrist:
costs, and these are very meetings.”
effective meetings.” “Polycom is very proud of the way we
te&g also conducts numerous
positively impact the environment.
executive briefings that cover a range
bill bien, executive director, of current topics and allow telstra
our video communications
marketing communications and customers to discuss trends with
technology, for instance, allows
strategy, telstra enterprise and their peers. in the first half of 2009/10,
people to very effectively
government telstra hosted over 1700 meetings
communicate with one another
without having to jump in airplanes
in the executive briefing centre in
or even go in their car to drive across
melbourne alone, of which over
town.”
40% were video conferences. in fact,
bill bien confirms that the modern however, video conferencing is not
meeting has become part of telstra’s just for large organisations. telstra is
culture, testimony to its usefulness trialling a range of tools designed to
and convenience. help smaller organisations measure
their own productivity benefits.
Polycom’s solutions have had even
results from a three-month trial using
more impact on telstra country wide
just one of the solutions, video-miles®,
(tcw), a sales and local marketing
look promising. with a usage rate of
group comprising 650 employees
around 20%, eight video conferencing
across australia. teams have vast
end points could realise potential
geographic areas of responsibility.
travel savings of around $200,000
Previously, with a choice between
per annum and over 300 tonnes of
round-trip drive times of six to eight
carbon emissions per annum.** and
hours or domestic flights for meetings,
the higher the usage, the higher the
the result was high travel costs and
potential savings.
lost productive time. as bill bien
explains: both bill bien and Joseph sigrist
see a very bright future for video
“telstra has changed the way
conferencing: the benefits are simply
telstra country wide is working by
too compelling to ignore. what’s more,
introducing smartphones and also
the technology is constantly evolving
the use of high definition video

4. “Polycom is very proud of to provide a richer experience and
solution details the way we positively impact greater ease of use.
the environment. our video
• Polycom® HDX 9000™ Series as for the partnership between telstra
communications technology, for
Power, performance and flexibility and Polycom, bill bien is unequivocal:
instance, allows people to very
for highly integrated video effectively communicate with “telstra and Polycom have laid
conferencing environments: one another without having to a strong foundation for a great
- true hd video up to 1080p30 jump in airplanes or even go in long-term relationship. i see this
or 720p60 resolution with the their car to drive across town.” relationship growing and expanding
ability to connect multiple hd to offer more video conferencing units
video sources Joseph sigrist, senior vice to our customers, and bringing them
- Polycom’s vc2 vision realised President and general manager, better business experiences.”
through Polycom cma™ solution video solutions group, Polycom
- 22 khz audio in stereosurround™
- share hd content
- easily integrated video system.
• Polycom® HDX 8000™ Series
Telstra in Enterprise and Government partners such as Cisco, Microsoft,
for organisations, enterprises: Ericsson and Alcatel and designed
- Polycom ultimatehd™ Telstra is a leading provider of network-
and deployed for customers by one of
technology centric communication and managed
Australia’s largest and most qualified
- advanced, flexible architecture services to large enterprise and
Network Services organisation. Telstra’s
for multiple applications and government organisations in Australia
service to enterprise and government
environments and around the globe. Telstra serves
customers is internationally recognised
more than 200 of the world’s top 500 for its high quality, including full
- data sharing
companies through its international International Customer Service Standard
- internal mcu supports up to four
operations that facilitate access to over (ICSS) certification, backed by Telstra’s
participants
240 countries and territories. Customer Service Commitments and
- Polycom cma™ solution option.
delivered by one of Australia’s largest
Telstra offers superior value for money
• Polycom® HDX 7000™, 6000™ & and most qualified field and technical
through its range of award-winning
4000™ Series workforce with a culture of continuous
world-class products and services that
vc systems for smaller groups of improvement.
are underpinned by the next generation
people.
Telstra Next IP™ network and Next G™ Telstra is a financially strong and
network – fully owned and managed reliable partner for large enterprise and
enablers based on the stringent quality standards government organisations who cannot
telstra next iP™ network of Australia’s largest network manager. afford downtime and use ICT solutions to
telstra next g™ network Telstra’s solutions are developed improve productivity and drive growth in
and tested in close co-operation with a sustainable way.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR
TELSTRA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
VISIT TELSTRA.COM/ENTERPRISE
OR CALL 1300 835 787
this case study sets out the experiences of this customer. your experience may differ. **Potential annual savings were based upon a three month telstra trial, involving 305
individuals who avoided around 1400 hours of business travel. actual results for an organisation will vary and will depend on a variety of factors and model assumptions.
™ trade mark of telstra corporation limited. ® registered trade mark of telstra corporation limited abn 33 051 775 556.