WASHINGTON -- ATIS announced today that it will test full-scale interconnection and interoperability of leading telepresence solutions. Scheduled for completion in early fall, the testing’s initial phase is anticipated to demonstrate the technical viability of multiple telepresence endpoint types across networks, with the goal of prompting industry adoption of a solution that enables multi-provider, multi-vendor interconnection and interoperability. Participating in the testing are major service providers AT&T and Verizon and, for the first time, videoconferencing vendors Cisco, Huawei and Microsoft Lync will be testing their systems—some of the industry’s leading telepresence offerings—to demonstrate interoperability between solutions.

“With ATIS’ cloud-based approach, the goal ultimately is to ensure connecting the market’s different telepresence solutions will be as easy as roaming across networks on a mobile device today,” said ATIS President and CEO Susan M. Miller. “Video is the next voice. The interconnection and interoperability testing is an important first step providing the essential network layer specifications to make this world possible. Through ATIS, the elements of the ecosystem have come together to provide users a globally seamless and consistent telepresence experience.”

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS)