Video Conferencing Barriers Are A Thing Of The Past

Video conferencing has been on the radar for quite some time now, but its popularity hadn’t grown until recently. Although it is capable of providing multiple benefits, there were some barriers that video conferencing needed to overcome before it could become widely adopted by businesses. As with any new technology, there was some resistance to the adoption of video conferencing in its earlier stages.

Previously, video conferencing was not very user friendly, required a substantial amount of bandwidth, and cost significantly more. Surprisingly, some businesses still believe that video conferencing is expensive and demands a great deal of resources, but that is no longer the case. Below, we discuss the barriers that have hindered the adoption of video conferencing by some businesses and how those obstacles have been overcome.

Not user friendly. Previously, there were several steps that the user must complete before they are connected, such as entering a room ID or sending a PIN to conference participants. Many video conferencing programs had also required the IP address of the person you are looking to connect with, which can be very difficult to remember – unlike a phone number. Now, several video conferencing programs only require basic information, such as email, username, and password to set up a user account. Many video conferencing platforms will need to be downloaded or installed on your computer, but you will only be required to do this once. After which, you will be able to hold video conferences with any other person using the program by extending an invite or adding them to your contact list. Each video conferencing platform varies slightly, so your company will need to do some research to find the right fit.

High Cost. In the past, businesses would have to spend a lot of money on the equipment, bandwidth, and room design needed to get quality video. Companies would need to purchase webcams, headsets, and microphones in addition to the video conferencing platform. These days, almost every computer comes with a built-in webcam, speaker, and microphone. Additionally, the cost of video conferencing platforms has also decreased in price, with many also offering a free trial period. If your company does not want to spend money on purchasing the necessary equipment, there are multiple businesses who rent out video conferencing rooms that have all the tools required.

High Bandwidth Consumption. Any type of video application requires a sizable amount of bandwidth for streaming. When video conferencing first arrived on the scene, companies were uploading minimal amounts of data, so there wasn’t a high demand for greater upload speeds. Data primarily flowed in one direction; down. With users now uploading as much as they download, having a symmetrical Internet connection is very beneficial. Many industry professionals are also finding more efficient ways of utilizing bandwidth, such as optimizing the communication protocols for video and audio traffic.

The globalization of several companies in combination with endless economic difficulties has contributed to the continued development of video conferencing. Although there are still some initial set up costs associated with video conferencing, the benefits it provides are undeniable. As companies continue to look for ways to do more with fewer resources, video conferencing is become an attractive option. Capable of offering a face-to-face meeting experience without the associated travel costs, video conferencing is changing the ways businesses, and people, communicate.

To learn more about video conferencing, click here.

To learn about symmetrical bandwidth, click here.

Blog Author: Vanessa Hartung