Telecommunications suppliers looking to tackle the perception that bandwidth is commoditised will be encouraged to learn that Syntegra, the BT subsidiary with a growing presence in the securities industry [see “Shooting the messenger” in Global Custodian, Fall 2001], is offering securities traders face-to-face video links with their clients.
The 8″ X 9″ X 2″ pV205HI “Turret” offers full turret capability in a much smaller footprint. For use in exchange trading booths, the turrets can be wall-mounted. The pV205Hi is also compatible with the full ITS desktop portfolio, enabling matching speaker and intercom modules to be firmly attached. The ITS pV205Hi turret platform will run ITS software from Release 13 onward. The pV205Hi incorporates the MegaLink interface, which provides a direct connection from the central equipment room to the desktop, without the need for an under-desk hub. The key advantages are reduced cabling which keeps trading floor disturbance to a minimum, and simplified administration. Continuing Syntegra’s strategy for having IP-ready turrets, the pV205Hi is equipped to harness IP technology.
Syntegra will also be showcasing its standard pV405i turret for front office use, and next generation computer telephony integration (CTI) offering, ITS Myriad. ITS Myriad is a collaborative trading framework, designed to link clients, colleagues and trading partners to empower relationship management across the enterprise. It operates as a multi-channel integration framework designed to integrate voice, web, email, mobile and other channels within a single, seamless decision support environment.
Syntegra’s ITS Myriad integration framework now also integrates Avistar’s video operating system, AvistarVOSTM, to provide a rich desktop visual collaboration dimension. Using Avistar’s videoconferencing technology, traders are able to easily make two-way or multi-party collaborative video calls from their desktops; record themselves or their videoconferences for later playback; instantly create video presentations; and seamlessly bring in desktop applications such as Excel and PowerPoint to share with conference participants, or video from outside sources such as CNN and CNBC, to discuss with the call participants.