Saving thousands of dollars in traveling costs, HSBC today announced the opening of a new internal network of conference rooms that provide an in-person meeting experience for its employees. With the help of advanced visual and audio collaboration technologies, the rooms make real-time, face-to-face interactions between key remote locations possible, using Cisco (News - Alert) TelePresence technology.

 

One ton of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere for every 2,000 miles of personal air travel. If three employees travel from Hong Kong to Chicago, HSBC can save up to $50,000 in airfare and travel costs with the help of Cisco Telepresence (News - Alert), which eliminates the need to travel. Cisco says the company is proud to work with HSBC on their Cisco TelePresence initiative. The company feels the technology is just the beginning for Cisco to preserve the environment and transform the way we do business.

 

Initially, six HSBC locations worldwide; London, Chicago, Hong Kong, Mexico City, New York, and Dubai will feature HSBC's Cisco TelePresence rooms. With this deployment, the employees will get features, such as a specially-designed table for up to six participants and incorporate cameras and displays, lighting, speakers, microphones and projection capability. Cisco will also provide smaller equipment for smaller rooms which can be used with existing office furniture.

 

HSBC and Cisco are working closely with Dimension Data, a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, on the Cisco TelePresence deployment. Cisco TelePresence recreates the interactivity, spontaneity and nuanced communications experience of an in-person meeting with life-size, high-definition images and spatial discrete audio.

 

“Our current meeting and collaboration tools provide significant increases in productivity, but are no substitute for in-person meetings,” said Chief Information Officer Ken Harvey. “Cisco Telepresence gives us the experience and benefit of actually being in the room with colleagues on the other side of the world, without having to pack a suitcase.”