Video-conferencing 2.O — size zero is in

BANGALORE, INDIA: Business across borders involves seamless integration of communication across the globe. This means there has to be a futuristic way for individuals, organizations and governments to communicate, collaborate, and subsequently function in a strategic and profitable manner.

The growth of this new form of communication is being driven by a number of needs arising from the current economic and social environment. Global business chains, remote and mobile employees, social collaboration in the cyber space, omnipresent video interactions, and the exploding amounts of information overload are only the edge of the collaborating and communicating universe.

The discussions Video conferencing taking human interaction to another level, has led to organizations and individuals leveraging it as a strategic business advantage. These benefits include but are not restricted to reduction in travel expenditure, reduction in logistical expenses incurred in transmitting information, unbelievably quick response time and the nullification of geographical distances as a hindrance altogether.

Larger organizations have been reaping the benefits of next gen video conferencing solutions for a long time. What the quoted number represents is the acceptance of the benefits of virtual collaboration by the smaller organizations. In response to this acceptance, there are now available, a wider range of solutions, more so with the increased capability to customize solutions. Industry players are constantly reinventing themselves to suit the need of the hour, offering solutions tailor made to serve specific needs.

Being able to see other participants holds a significant impact on social presence. With changing needs, and increasing video conferencing solutions, there is scope for the industry to revolutionize itself, time and again. From traditional IP telephony, instant messaging and video conferencing solutions, the industry has moved on to create next generation, cost effective, easy to deploy and most importantly integrated VC solutions. With the expanding number of businesses, especially small and mid-range, the need of the hour has moved on to customizable details surrounding successful collaboration. While videoconferencing is not the newest member in the gamut of solutions, there is a lot more to it than is acknowledged or talked about.

The changing era of Video Conferencing

Earlier versions of videoconferencing involved heavy duty equipped rooms with exclusive infrastructure and gear involving high-speed data network. It required complex cable connections that necessitated proficient IT assistance for installation and configuration. Video conferencing was a bother, set aside only for categorically critical assemblies or for interactions where seeing other individuals was imperative, like distant job interviews. But this is changing.

The focus has shifted from efficient, quick and smart communication on the whole, to details like high integration, wireless, easy installation and voice dialing. The new normal is to optimize facial views and areas of movement in video images. The need of the hour is an elegant all-in-one design, easy to deploy and install. The result? High definition video at low bandwidth, bringing conversations as close to real life communication & collaboration as possible.

The next generation technology supporting Video Motion Enhancement (VME) can save upto 50 pc of bandwidth. And if combined with intelligent face recognition and video image processing, it helps the equipment adjust to diverse lighting environments, lessen bandwidth consumption, and augment video excellence. Panoramic or immersive telepresence exemplifies this phenomenon. Aided by the brilliance of small and sleek design and wireless connectivity, video conferencing is bringing about transformation across verticals.

Beyond the enterprise

The use of video conferencing solutions is no longer restricted to the enterprise. Such is the magnitude of opportunity to be explored with the aid of communications that it has pervaded into spheres of government, judiciary, education, healthcare and to a great extent, the individual lifestyle of consumers. Video conferencing is bringing about radical differences in the way entire systems of governance along with their citizens, collaborate.

(The author is solutions manager, Unified Communication & Collaboration with Huawei)