Cable&Wireless Worldwide offers a complete VC
solution providing network, integration, video equipment and service. The
network runs across its global Multi-Service Platform (MSP) which can handle
the high-bandwidth, time-critical demands of high definition video. Alex
Connors, head of International Product Management, Global Markets, Cable&Wireless
Worldwide, shares about the latest trends in VC market.
Is audio conferencing still a threat to VC
services?
We do not believe that audio conferencing is a threat to
VC, but it’s complementary to VC. Let’s take a case where there is a large
business deal at stake. Our survey findings show that people are more likely to
make major business decisions if they can see the person face – to – face (as
is the case with VC). The same survey also states that people are more likely
to lose focus over an audio conference call after sometime, as compared to when
they are on a VC.
How evolving 3G services are complimenting
VC?
The Video conferencing industry, which is fast
becoming a popular mode of
communication in the enterprise segment, will only see
further growth with the arrival of 3G. High data transfer speeds will help
improve the quality of conversations and make the experience close to seamless.
Also with increasing 3G adoption, streaming times on mobile devices is rapidly decreasing,
making wireless video viewing increasingly accessible and seamless. An example
would be the iPad 2, though that’s typically used by consumers rather than
businesses now.
Will the forthcoming LTE services give push
to VC adoption in global markets?
Long Term Evolution or LTE will create a tremendous shift
in the telecom world and will be highly adopted in the near future. This will
definitely be a boon for the videoconferencing industry with businesses
adopting the technology due to higher speeds from LTE. LTE will offer global
businesses access to high quality videoconferencing from anywhere, anytime
thanks to the mobility and flexibility that LTE offers.
What are your new offerings?
The latest trend in VC is telepresence which provides
users with an enhance VC experience through a realistic simulation where users
in two different locations feel like they are in the same room. We have
implemented this for several of our global clients.
What are the new demands of enterprises CIOs?
Enterprise CIOs are looking for a reliable VC product
that will help their organisations cut travel cost, increase agility through
reduced travel requirements and increase collaboration between employees
located in different places.
What are the new business verticals which
demand VC solutions?
We see demand from the Government and Public Services
sector, which is increasingly adopting VC solutions in order to improve
communications and thus increase productivity. Government departments are also
looking at VC Solutions as a tool to aid them in e- governance programs. We are
also seeing good adoption levels in tele-medicine and tele-education sectors.
In fact, according to our survey findings, 54.4 % of Indians would not mind
seeing their doctor through a VC.
What are the latest trends in video
conferencing market in emerging nations such as India, Brazil, China, Africa
and the Middle East?
We are currently seeing a high adoption of VC in emerging
markets and with 3G, WiMAX and LTE technologies, adoption levels are headed north.
We recently came out with a survey on video conferencing which states that 71.5
percent of Indians anticipate that the use of VC will become a more regular
practice in 2011. This can be attributed to the fact that business are trying
to become more efficient and save costs to the company by reducing travel
expenditure for business meetings.
What are your new challenges and
opportunities in emerging nations such as India, Brazil, China, Africa and the
Middle East?
The challenge in emerging markets is finding reliable
network partners to provide the local connections into these countries so as to
ensure that the VC connectivity works well.
Do you expect market revival in 2011-12 for
VC?
Yes, we do expect the VC market to grow in 2011-12. As I
had stated before, our survey on VC states that 71.5% of Indians believe that
VC will be used more as a regular practice in 2011. The survey also dictates
that 15.5% expect the same by the year 2012. With such figures coming out of
India, we can predict that by the 2012 is upon us, the market for VC should be
booming.
How many enterprises are using VC as part of
their green initiatives?
The adoption of VC by enterprises was a trend which we
saw during the recession and has picked on henceforth. Today, leading businesses
are deploying video conferencing solutions to communicate with suppliers,
partners and even customers. Companies today are coming under increasing
pressure to recognize, and act upon their social and environmental
responsibilities. With Video Conferencing, companies are taking a large step in
this direction by replacing overseas travel by holding meetings through video
conferencing.
We believe VC is an effective way to reduce carbon
emissions caused due to air travel. Reducing one’s carbon footprint is a
positive step in the wider battle against climate change and a significant
decrease in business travel enables companies to better align themselves with
corporate responsibility. Even at C&W Worldwide, video conferencing
services have helped us to reduce our own carbon emissions by 600,000kg over
the past year.
By TelecomLead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
