Today, businesses, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and government agencies are increasingly connecting to a network of people covering vast geographical distances. The Internet, air transport, and telecommunications are changing the business environment.
To maintain competitiveness in this type of environment, organizations have found that web videoconferencing services can help meet their communication technology needs. If you are looking for web video conferencing camera and services for your organization, here are answers to frequently asked questions to help you better understand the possibilities in this exciting world.
What is Web Video Conferencing?
Web video conferencing is a way to use the advanced and relatively inexpensive infrastructure of the Internet as a means of video communication. Businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals use web videoconferencing technology every day for meetings and seminars, training sessions, and informal conversations.
Can I Use My Own Equipment or Do I Need to Buy Special Hardware?
The answer depends on the system you choose. Some systems use your existing computer, screen/monitor, Internet connection, and other devices without the need or need to purchase specialized hardware. Other, mostly high-end systems require investment in stand-alone equipment such as high-performance cameras, conference call blocks, and high-resolution monitors.
What Types of Services Are Available?
There are a number of systems, services, and vendors to choose from for your video conferencing needs. Some providers combine their video services with features such as screen sharing, VoIP, whiteboards, poll/voting functions, and chat. Others focus only on providing high-quality video and audio communications.
Similarly, the price of different systems available may also vary. Some systems are free or very cheap, but the performance of high-end systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars. And the way the system is implemented is also significantly different. Some systems are available as downloadable solutions, while others are hosted on the vendor’s own servers as a web application. Others can be purchased to host on a local corporate server.
Can I Include Multiple People in the Call?
Yes, but again it depends on the system. Some systems are designed for one-on-one communication, while others work well with groups. In both cases, there are usually only one or two authorized presenters at a time. However, multiple systems allow you to display multiple people from different locations on your screen at the same time.
What about Security?
Security is a major concern, especially in the sharing of confidential organizational information such as trade secrets, business plans, and customer information through a web conferencing system. Fortunately, most of the best systems have a number of security-related features that can prevent unwanted data packet sniffing or direct listening.