Video Conferencing pricing has plummeted - we have seen video conferencing systems costs go down by 20 to 30 percent in the last 36 months, making video conferencing a very cost-effective way to hold face-to-face meetings.Ĥ. Same bandwidth today runs approximately 20-30 percent less than just 36 months ago.ģ. Broadband and converged networks are here - IP is now everywhere and is flat rate. Some video CODECs can communicate a conversation at less than 100k, close to the same bandwidth as a G.711 non-compress voice CODEC, making video practical over a Wide Area Network. Bandwidth continues to get "cheaper" and video CODECs are getting better. Practically speaking, travel costs far outweigh video conferencing costs.Ģ. Although a videoconference may never replace an on-site meeting (although close with Telepresence and HD video), the ability to connect with a colleague over great distances in real-time, without a lot of planning, plane ticketing and logistics, and a need for speed-to-market or sharing specialized internal resources is compelling. There is continuous pressure to rightsize one's organization in today's market and increase margins to the greatest extent possible. There are many practical reasons for this:ġ. Why Video Will Become a Part of Our CultureĪccording to several major analysts, video WILL take hold as a mainstay over the next 36-48 months and will become (finally) a part of our culture.
In corporate America, it is a way of reducing travel costs significantly and enhancing the customer experience. In Research and in IT, it can be a means of connecting specialists for answers to complex issues over large distances in an instant. In the Legal profession it can be a video deposition being recorded over distances. In Healthcare it can be visiting with a patient and reviewing real-time patient medical results over a distance. For our enterprise customers, a possible need and practical application for video is here, whether in a desktop or meeting room format. Video has now become part of the conversation. If your organization is just "dipping in the water" as user demands arise, it's time that one took a more strategic approach to this area. However, practically speaking, if your organization and enterprise are not at least developing a plan around video conferencing as a fundamental way of communication, then think again. "Video Conferencing is here - period." I know that looks like a BOLD statement, and the practicality that it has been challenged as a mainstay for years now could very well challenge that statement.