Videoconferencing Poised to Explode

This summer's flurry of activity in the videoconferencing space has for the moment one analyst predicting the rise of small-business interest in the video communication. The greater availability and lower prices for telepresence and the proliferation of video-capable devices, may bring videoconferencing closer to being ubiquitous.

But since such an outcome has been so often inaccurately forecast in the past, even Robert Poe, principal analyst with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Evolution and the man predicting video will spike among small and medium-sized businesses, is hedging his bets. In discussing his report, "SMB Video Conferencing: Getting Beyond Clouds & Interoperability," Poe admits that during "all the signs are there for videoconferencing to take off, you can't say anything for certain."

Lot of beta clients

"Companies like Blue Jeans are getting a lot of beta clients," says Poe of the cloud-based video networking service. In the meantime, companies just as BroadSoft, which offers hosted VoIP, are adding hosted video, and hardware players are driving down the cost of their systems and adding cloud options.

The problem for the videoconferencing companies will be convincing small businesses to as a matter of fact pay for that higher level of service, he admits. It's hard to beat free.

Then there are specific applications driving interest as then. Vidyo recently announced deployment of its gear by the Ontario Telemedicine Network, which links hundreds of hospitals and clinics across the province.

The appeal of a company just as Vidyo is that its adaptive video research uses whatever bandwidth is available, says Andrew W. Davis, senior partner with Wainhouse Technology . That means SMBs or distributed enterprises can use the Internet to link video customers to a centralized server, because

"I think we're entering an age, with tablets, iPads, cellphones, PCs -- where video is being enabled on a variety of devices and a variety of apps. It's not going to be viewed as a separate service, however as something you add with the push of a button," he says.

Tata Communications Ltd. is betting heavily on telepresence however is as well expecting mobile video to become part of that play, says Dave Ryan, Tata's senior vice president for the Americas.

Matter of fact out of beta

Blue Jeans Network is as a matter of fact out of beta. We launched our cloud-based, meet-me video conferencing service June 29, 2011 and now have paying clients.