An Interesting Stat About Video Conferencing

I'm a big user of both client SightSpeed and Skype video as the entire world I deal with is not all on one platform so seeing this stat about the anticipated rise in Video Conferencing use is no surprise to me, or many of my fellow VoIP bloggers out there.

What it shows me is the bloggosphere is usually very tuned into the future, and while some call it an echo chamber (bloggers talking to other bloggers) it really is more of a forward looking reflector of where things are headed. Bloggers are in my view the live along the first two blocks of what I have dubbed the

Boulevard of Communications. Those two blocks are where the Tastemaker and Trendsetter houses are, and its farther down the Avenue where Thought Leaders and Media Gatekeepers Live, with The Followers at the far end of the Avenue.

Comments

[Mr Blog]

That link also says that the load placed on the network by video “could easily affect existing applications and adversely impact the value intended by adopting the technology.”

[JC]

In an article with the exact same title I found these stats that seems to corroborate this trend:
"More than 92 percent of those surveyed said that they increased their usage of videoconferencing services within the last year" and
"A total of 92 percent of respondents said they use the technology to communicate with outside groups, such as customers, suppliers or partners."

The only possible trouble is that the article was written in 2001...

http://www.xchangemag.com/hotnews/19h752310.html

[Andy Abramson]

Yes, Michael. I've used SIP video via the Counterpath EyeBeam client and Bria.

It works and is useful for face to face calling.

[Michael Graves]

Really? Have you considered this?

http://www.junctionnetworks.com/blog/mike/2008/05/22/video-over-sip

I deal with dozens of associates over Skype, most of whom have cameras but we essentially never use them.

I think that there's a lot of disconnect in this area. Large business concerns get good value out of real video conferencing hardware (Polycom, Cisco, Tandberg, etc.) and perhaps there'll be some uptake of Cisco's uber expensive telepresence.

However, at the low-end, on PCs and with hardware video phones there doesn't seem to be much market developing. Witness the recent collapse of the company selling the Ojo phones & related services.

Michael