Bangalore: TANDBERG, a provider of tele-presence, high definition videoconferencing and mobile video solutions, has opened a research and development (R&D) technology center in Bangalore, the first of such facilities in India set up by the company.

At a press conference held in Bangalore, the officials showcased the video conferencing technology of TANDBERG by receiving a call from the company?s CEO Fredrick Halvorsen stationed in UK.

"The India center in Bangalore will be the fourth center of the company in the world with the other three facilities operating in Oslo, London and New Zealand," said Odd Johnny Winge, Executive Vice President, Poducts, at TANDBERG.

Referring to the slower traffic of Internet in India, which may cripple the growth of video conferencing technology in this country, Winge said that they used a technology that can compress video so hard that it will not immensely be affected by lack of Internet speed.

The new center, named TANDBERG Technology India Private Ltd., will create new intellectual properties for TANDBERG and develop next generation video communication solutions that will enable organizations to increase productivity, reduce travel costs, and contribute to greener world by reducing unnecessary business travelings.

The facility, which currently has 11 employees, can accommodate 80 engineers. The center is already incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of TANDBERG. Pradeep Bardia, who has been in the semiconductor industry for long, will lead the operations in the center as Director, while Lars Erik Mobaek will head R&D activities at the center as Director of Technology.

Globally the company has a headcount of 1300 with dual headquarters in New York and Norway.