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