News from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Jim Palmer, Director of Information

April 4, 2000

COMMISSION ADVANCES ITS USE OF VIDEO-CONFERENCING

(OKLAHOMA CITY)-What started as a vision by Corporation Commissioner Ed Apple has evolved into the forerunner of a comprehensive telecommunications process designed to save everyone who does business with the Commission time and money.

On September 1 last year, Commissioner Apple started a Corporation Commission first. After choosing to work from the Duncan district office to be closer to the people, Apple set up a minimum two-way video communications system test phase linking the Duncan office with the other two Commissioners at the main courtroom in Oklahoma City.

After more than 6 months of successfully using the primitive camera and monitor system linking the Commission’s main courtroom with the Duncan offices, the Commission has taken another step up in using modern telecommunications to bring the Commission still closer to the people.

The new system, which uses two Polycom cameras with built-in microphones, two TV’s and one document camera for the main courtroom, is operated over an existing T-1 line between Duncan and the Commission’s Oklahoma City headquarters. The project was thoroughly researched by Data Processing Director, now interim General Administrator, Larry Shaver, before equipment was purchased and installation begun on February 21. Installation and testing was done by Information Technology Network Management Specialists Shawn Baker and Preston Morrison.

The Commission is studying plans to possibly use the equipment being replaced for a future video hookup between the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Commission courtrooms. Other future plans under study include video conferencing links between courtroom 105 on the first floor of the Jim Thorpe Building with the other three field offices of the Commission in Kingfisher, Ada and Bristow and eventually at Woodward. The savings with such video links in both trip and legal expenses would be significant for those individuals and companies who do business with the Commission.

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