With the global economic recovery still stagnating, companies around the world are increasingly turning to video conferencing to help save on travel costs. Due to the price of petrol constantly rising, even conference costs within driving distance can quickly become expensive. Polycom, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Cisco Systems all manufacture video conferencing equipment, and Polycom’s CEO has said the company is doing little in the way of advertising to increase sales. “We’re not having to pitch this,” he said recently.
However, a company’s internal network must have the technology and bandwidth to accommodate video conferencing. Carrying video and audio on the same line cannot be accomplished on a standard analogue telephone line; a digital, high-speed line is required, and the larger the video conference, the bigger the “pipeline” that is required. In addition, difficulties can arise when the two parties involved in the video conference use different systems as most of them do not “talk” to one another.
If an organisation’s internal network is not sufficient to handle both video and audio, some opt for a “hybrid” approach where the audio is carried on speakerphone via a conference call while the video is carried on a separate, digital line. While this can be a bit awkward to set up, it can work as an interim solution until the internal network is upgraded to handle the required capacity.
Security is an often-quoted reason for remaining on an internal network. Video conferencing from one IP address to another on the same network is much more secure than an “open” conference that utilises the internet. While getting everyone together on a Virtual Private Network or VPN can be another method of raising security, it creates another layer on the conference call, which means one more thing to go wrong.
Building up the organisation’s internal network has benefits both for video conferencing and overall work production. With faster network speeds employees are not waiting around for the system to “do its thing” and save, retrieve, or manage data and files.
Combining an improved internal network and video conferencing capabilities can create efficiencies, as well. For example, a file does not need to be emailed to every conferencing participant; it can be stored in one central location or even shared on the conference itself, saving storage space and data usage rates, if those apply.
Companies like Manpower, EasyNet, NewsCorp and Deloitte are utilising more and more video conferencing to enhance their communication strategies. Even Cisco, manufacturer of some of these products, has cut back on travel and begun using its own products. The corporation is hoping to cut travel by 20 percent, and so far has saved nearly $150m.
At the recently completed Streaming Media Europe conference held in London, several options were presented for working with—rather than against—an internal IT department. New tools and options available today can protect the network, the company’s intellectual property, while still saving money on travel.
