France‘s Agency for the Protection of Marine Areas chooses video conferencing to facilitate communication between its sites
Saint-Denis, 30 September 2010 – NextiraOne, Europe’s leading expert in communications services, has been chosen by Agence des Aires Marines, the French agency for the protection of marine areas, tasked with the conservation of the marine environment, to implement a secure videoconferencing system.
Agence des Aires Marines is responsible for the creation of a network of conservation areas, the management of marine nature parks and for work representing France’s interests within international maritime negotiations. Headquartered in Brest, the agency is part of the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea, and has 17 sites in mainland France and in overseas territories.
To allow faster, simpler and more cost-effective remote meetings between the head office in Brest, the various branches and its partners, the agency wanted to implement an efficient and secure video conferencing system. This solution would also allow the organisation to improve its operations through more regular communications and limit the need for travel, reducing its carbon footprint.
Following a tender in February 2009, the Agence des Aires Marines chose NextiraOne to undertake the implementation and integration of a secure global videoconferencing solution. The infrastructure consists of a 10-port conference bridge in high definition, wireless IP and ISDN, and a secure external interface. NextiraOne also deployed user interfaces consisting of high definition meeting rooms (8 in 2009 and 8 to be provided within 3 years) and workstation solutions for 100 users. The agreement includes a service contract covering operational support.
The new infrastructure is built on a videoconferencing technology environment consisting of the following elements: MCU Polycom RMX 2000 10-port HD digital gateway, gatekeeper CMA 4000, video rooms Broader HDX8000 and 7000.
The solution provides many benefits for the Agence des Aires Marines. The infrastructure implemented by NextiraOne exactly matches the requirements of the organisation in terms of availability and security, and gives the flexibility and scalability needed to address its future projects. The agency is already carrying out around two to three videoconferences per week for all of its sites, both internally and with partners.
“Being able to help an organisation to transform its working practices and, at the same time, optimize its communications costs, is an important aspect of the way we work in partnership with our customers,” said François Messager, European Business Development Director for Unified Communications, NextiraOne. “A project like this one for the Agence des Aires Marines clearly demonstrates the value of video conferencing technologies as a means of introducing more environmentally responsible behaviour.”
The project implementation began in September 2009 and includes video conferencing suites across France in Brest, Toulon, Mayotte, Port Vendres, Rochefort, Boulogne sur Mer, Le Conquet and Douarnenez, with additional sites added at Granville and Le Havre.
