| The time is right for video and web | | | | ahead. |
| conferencing to take off. While online | | | | 4. Businesses are improving productivity |
| conferencing is still seen as a | | | | with online conferencing. |
| technological novelty by some people, | | | | The gains provided by online |
| more and more businesses of all sizes | | | | conferencing are more than just the |
| are finding it be the solution to doing | | | | money saved by not buying gasoline for a |
| business and communicating with | | | | car or spending it on airfares. When you |
| prospects, clients, employees and branch | | | | sit in your own office and hold an |
| offices in an era of rising transport | | | | online conference with associates in |
| costs. Let's take a look at some of the | | | | distant cities, you can get back to your |
| factors that are bringing web and video | | | | other work within seconds of the close |
| conferencing to a very wide audience. | | | | of the online conference. The lost time |
| 1. Bandwidth speeds are increasing while | | | | out of office, associated with business |
| prices for broadband web access are | | | | trips, is an important "opportunity |
| falling. | | | | cost" that can be reduced by the |
| Video and web conferencing are more | | | | creative use of web and video |
| effective when users have broadband | | | | conferences. |
| access to the Internet. Prices for | | | | 5. The cost of web and video |
| various broadband connections to the | | | | conferencing has come down greatly in |
| Internet (DSL, Cable, T1s) are falling | | | | the past year. |
| and more and more homes and businesses | | | | Web and video conference services are |
| are now connected by broadband rather | | | | now less costly than they were a few |
| than dial-up connections. Broadband | | | | years ago and it is possible for a |
| penetration in the US among home users | | | | business to get a much higher return on |
| has reached 60% and, especially crucial | | | | their investment in online conferences. |
| for online conferencing, in the | | | | Monthly costs for some conferencing |
| workplace broadband usage has passed | | | | services are so low that even families |
| 85%. | | | | and individuals can connect in informal |
| 2. Web cameras are more powerful and | | | | web conferences. At the same time, for a |
| less costly. | | | | reasonable price, businesses can even |
| Video conferencing is aided by good | | | | purchase their own internal video/web |
| images. Just as high speed connections | | | | conferencing system and not depend on |
| to the Internet are needed to view the | | | | web conference services provided by an |
| videos, improved cameras providing clear | | | | outside provider. |
| images are also important. The least | | | | 6. Schools and universities are holding |
| expensive web cameras today cost as | | | | online classes, exposing a whole new |
| little as $10 and even sophisticated | | | | generation to the world of online |
| tripod-mounted cameras are reasonably | | | | conferencing. |
| priced, placing video conferencing | | | | The surest way of spreading any new |
| within the reach of millions of users. | | | | technology is to get young people |
| 3. The price of oil and transportation | | | | "hooked" on it. And that is exactly what |
| is rising, and business travel is more | | | | schools and universities are doing with |
| costly. | | | | web and video conferencing. By holding |
| Rising energy prices means that | | | | more online classes and conferences, |
| businesses have to scrutinize their | | | | young people are becoming comfortable |
| travel plans more closely. Video and web | | | | with this way of communicating. As |
| conferencing make it possible to hold | | | | today's students enter the business and |
| meetings with staff in other cities | | | | professional world, they are certain to |
| without making expensive car or airplane | | | | bring with them a taste for the |
| journeys. In addition, some companies | | | | convenience of online conferencing. |
| are also using web and video | | | | Add up all these factors and it is easy |
| conferencing to meet new clients and | | | | to see why web and video conferencing |
| provide service to existing clients. | | | | are approaching the level of mass |
| Improved video conferencing | | | | acceptance. If you are not taking |
| capabilities, combined with rising | | | | advantage of online conferencing today, |
| travel costs is a sure formula for | | | | there is a good chance that you will be |
| online conferencing growth in the years | | | | tomorrow. |