This upgrade, which is a shared effort between OUS and OHSU, will result in new technology and increased capacity at the bridge. The bridge will be standards compliant with more than just PicTel. All OUS campuses plan to replace their individual PicTel units at each of their campuses with the ISDN-based Polycom video conferencing units over the next several months. Most campuses will continue to use their PicTel units until they fail and then will replace with Polycom at that time. Some, like the OHSU School of Nursing, have already deployed the Polycom units.
Plans are underway for even higher speeds.
The product is price competitive and very affordable. For example, for what it would cost to upgrade PSU's PicTel unit to 384 speeds, we can purchase two 384 Polycom units. We plan to replace the PSU PicTel unit when the current maintenance agreement expires later this year. VTEL VTEL is a company name for a series of video conferencing products including some ISDN-based systems. In the context of distance learning in the state of Oregon, VTEL is the compressed video product that is available on the State's contract with US West.