Posts: 345
From: Sarasota FL USA
Since: Jul 2000

posted 03 January 2001 05:42 PM               

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In a blockbuster move, Polycom announced the pending acquisition of Accord, which has the potential to turn the industry in new directions, to provide customers with end-to-end Polycom products, and to change the competitive landscape permanently.

Good or bad for the industry? Friend or foe? Click on Reply and let us know.

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Posts: 377
From: Funabashi Japan
Since: Aug 2000

posted 14 January 2001 09:19 AM            

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Very surprising and interesting news.

As long as abundant cash-flow are created for the company,we might see some more aquisitions coming up in the near future.
I think Polycom wants to become the mighty king in this teleconferencing world. I guess the company might start aquiring a bridging service provider in the near future as the next move.

Who knows.

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Posts: 377
From: Funabashi Japan
Since: Aug 2000

posted 14 January 2001 09:41 AM            

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January 14 night(Japan Standard Time)

I guess we can not easily say it is good or bad for the industry, but at least we can say that this Polycom's move was strategically rational for themselves.

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Posts: 2
From: Boulder, CO
Since: Feb 2001

posted 02 February 2001 11:45 AM            

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Polycom claims they do not want to sell service, just hardware. Other hardware and bridge providers have gone down the service road, more often than not in a detriment to the business. The Accord aquisition does give them inroads into more customers, and service providers, as well as provides them with a better solution for supporting complete enterprise services for large campus networks. Another way to look at it is that Accord was arguably undervalued by the market and they were a bargain at the time. They are unequivically the market leader with solid, proven technology, and continue to post a profit quarter after quarter.

Now, as for whether it is healthy for the market, that depends. So long as their co-development remains open and builds onto the standards, then I think it will benefit. If they go the road that PictureTel continues to build off of, with propriatery algorithms that only work on certain codecs and MCUs, then no, I do not think that benefits the market as a whole.

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