Future of Video Conferencing

In the 1960s, the world witnessed an arrival of a newbie in the technological world. At the New York world fair, the iconic American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) presented the world's first picture phone, one that could let two people communicate and also see each other on phone screens. Initially, high cost and operational difficulties hindered the growth of this idea, but as the wheels of time turned, this technology gradually proved its efficacy and is now predicted to be the next big thing in the electronic markets.

What is Video Conferencing
Video conferencing involves the integration of video and audio signals, with the help of transmitters and receivers, in order to establish communicator connection. This mode of communication enables the users to talk and see each other simultaneously. Like most of the communication systems, video conferencing consists of an input, output and data transfer mode. The video input is the web camera or simply the video camera. The video output is a monitor, a television or a projector. For the audio input and output, microphones and loudspeakers (coupled with television or display screens) are employed. The data transfer mode is a prominent part and it governs the speed of signal and the amount of data transferred. The data transfer system usually comprises local area networks (LAN) or the Internet.

Video conferencing technology has changed the way of business communication. As the world converges into a global village, it is playing a major role in shaping the business prospects of many firms, organizations and companies. Emails or telephonic conversations are best, but face to face interaction has a different impact altogether. Government and business organizations, CEOs, police/military services and educational institutions are adopting video conferencing as a major tool to increase their efficiency and productivity. With the operational and establishment costs getting lower, many people are even trying to have this technology installed at their homes. Business, media, law, education, medicine, health and many other fields will be immensely benefited by this technology.

Bright Prospects for Video Conferencing
According to a study by Cisco, nearly 55% of the messages are effectively conveyed if the presenter has excellent body language skills. This shows how effective the video conferencing technology can be, when it comes to bagging big business deals or getting access to educational courses. Considering this, when Cisco opened its new campus in a city, its employees got an opportunity to interact with two of the prominent CEOs on one screen, standing side by side, though they both were at different locations! What if a professor at Harvard delivers a lecture that is attended by thousands of students all over the globe. Such is the impact of video conferencing. It can reduce transportation cost, save time, and offer companies with a simple path to connect with their employees. Video conferencing also saves a lot of time and energy. Most of the companies are still working on the hardware and ISDN (Integrated services digital network) services in video conferencing. With evolving technology, many are opting for software-based services such as the web-based conference servers called web conferencing.

Video conferencing technology is a fast evolving alternative to other speedy and productive communication tools. The future trend of this technology will definitely improve with every passing day. Imperfections in the initial stage, such as unclear pictures or inaudible sounds, have been eliminated, and now this technology is ready to take a giant leap into the communications industry.