High Definition Video Conferencing - Is It Worth It?
Due to the economic slowdown, most companies are working to save costs wherever possible. Long flights are an obvious expense that are now being examined more closely to see if they are actually necessary expenditures. Of course, you can never completely replace a personal, face to face meeting - but with advancements in technology you can come pretty close!
High definition video conferencing offers an affordable alternative to the traditional video conferencing services that were not quite up to the task. Technological improvements have enabled hd video conferencing services to improve quality of audio and video transmission. Although there are other instant messaging packages that appear to run faster, LifeSize or Polycom is the overwhelmingly popular choice for the business community. For day to day conferencing between colleagues High Definition Video Conferencing function is more than adequate, providing both parties have a web cam and a decent enough broadband bandwidth.This is extremely useful if one is making overseas calls.
If you want to pay a little more, you could try a Polycom system that gives DVD quality conferencing for a very resonable cost. Or if you have the budget you can install a full Cisco telepresence suite, which will cost much more. Although this sounds likes a big sum of money, if you make regular use of the suite, it could quickly pay for itself. The LifeSize video conference is visually stunning and can accommodate multiple locations. Contact a local hd video conferencing installer for design and integration.
The manged connection support means you won’t cut out mid-conference call. HD video conferencing could be used if you need to pitch to a company overseas but do not want to spend thousands on sending out a delegation of employees on the hope of gaining the business.
Virtual working will for a number of reasons, including changing working patterns and cost concerns, increase in the future. As hd video conferencing becomes more popular it will no doubt become much more affordable. If high definition video conferencing suites become as popular as some predict, then the habitual Business class flight, 4 star hotel and 3 days away from head office could be numbered.