All Signs Are Good for Videoconferencing

Why Videoconferencing Is the Right Choice

The ability to engage in videoconferencing offers a multitude of benefits and is widely utilized by firms both large and small.

Even before the announced acquisition of Skype by Microsoft, videoconferencing was evolving at a rapid rate, driven by changes in the business structure and technology itself.

Two recent studies speak to the inroads being made by videoconferencing:

• CDW's Video Conferencing Straw Poll, which isn't as informal as the title suggests, queried opinions from 631 IT and telecommunications managers in the U.S. The study found that half use some form of videoconferencing today and another quarter plan to roll it out within the next two years. The bottom line: Within two years, companies that don't use some form of telepresence or videoconferencing will be the decided minority.

• Frost & Sullivan released research that found that the telepresence and videoconferencing market reached $1.7 billion last year, which represented a growth rate of 17.8 percent. The firm sees a bright future:

As the economy continues to improve and the general interest in all things video keeps rising, IT managers are looking at the feasibility of rolling out "pervasive video. Many vendors are touting the mantra "video is the new voice," pushing the notion that simple voice calls will become a thing of the past.

And Then Came Microsoft (and Skype)

Those studies were released in April and early this month, respectively. Subsequent to their release, Microsoft agreed to acquire Skype. Analysts and other observers have significantly different ideas on precisely how the newly minted company will move forward, assuming the deal closes. There is agreement, however, that it is a positive move for videoconferencing in general and its status as a unified communications tool in particular.