Hectic schedules, limited budgets and environmental concerns
are increasing the popularity of videoconferencing and
telepresence,writes Jeff Prestel, general manager
ofBT
Conferencing'sVideo Business Unit.
Since its inception in the 1980s, videoconferencing adoption has
been steady. However, uptake has been hampered by a perception that
it is expensive and of poor quality, but continuously improving
technology is changing this.
According to Gartner's 2008 Hype Cycle, video telepresence is
one of eight emerging technologies that will "have a
transformational business impact and should be strongly considered
for adoption by technology planners in the next 10 years".
Gartner found that videoconferencing systems that use
high-definition (HD) displays to show life-size images of
participants have proven more effective than earlier generations.
HD displays can make participants feel like they are actually in
the same room as their fellow meeting attendees.
Large-scale adoption of videoconferencing technology is becoming
increasingly prevalent in businesses across the globe. There is a
model that illustrates the TIME for videoconferencing:
T - Technology refresh
I - Immersive rooms
M - Managed services
E - Environmental focus
Technology refresh refers to the shift in videoconferencing
hardware from standard definition to HD, alongside the move from
ISDN to IP. This has allowed the quality of video telepresence to
improve dramatically. Users can see life-sized versions of their
colleagues or clients wherever they are in the world. Real-time
interactions and high quality images allow users to read
expressions and make decisions, without being in the same room.
What recent adopters have found is that once they have purchased
the videoconferencing equipment they require they are using it over
and over again. In comparison to the travel and accommodation costs
associated with face-to-face meetings, it is a very cost effective
option.
Immersive solutions are seeing a massive surge in popularity,
since they provide an experience that allows all users to see the
same background and meeting scenario, thus feeling like all the
meeting attendees are sitting in the same room. This sense of
in-room presence makes it easier to connect with others across the
globe - without needing to spend thousands on airfares. It also
means that interactive services like a 'Question and Answer'
session can be managed seamlessly and professionally.
Further growth of managed IT services has been predicted by a
number of analyst houses, despite the slowdown in the global
economy. The increase in distributed videoconferencing that
companies have been experiencing in turn drives the growth of
managed services.
The environment has never been of greater concern than it is
today. The combination of this desire to protect the environment,
alongside the ability of videoconferencing technology to reduce the
need for travel and thus drive down CO2 emissions, are one of the
main drivers of the technology's adoption.
The time is now for videoconferencing. Businesses across the
world are feeling pressure to maintain or increase revenue, while
keeping a close eye on costs. Globalisation has meant that there is
more need than ever for people to collaborate. With face-to-face
meetings proving both expensive and impractical, businesses are
looking to videoconferencing to keep their business running in a
cost effective manner.