India is an ideal market for low-cost, high-definition videoconferencing

What are the various technological trends that are adding value to
videoconferencing in India?

The top trend in audio and videoconferencing is high definition, giving
people the experience they have been waiting for. Another trend is the rise of
IP-based systems, which, in 2007, became the market leader in videoconferencing.
Because high-definition and IP are powerful technologies, we see customers
expressing interest in videoconferencing.

We believe that Indias success in the global technology industry makes it an
ideal market for low-cost, high-definition videoconferencing.

What are the various growth drivers of this segment in India?

Companies are expanding their operations, partnerships, suppliers, and
customers across wider geographies, but travel is getting more expensive and
time-consuming. The desire to save time and money is universal, so the desire to
communicate frequently and effectively without traveling transcends all markets.
Because you can see facial expressions and gestures, video is especially useful
when speaking across cultures. A desire to pollute less is also part of the
current global boom in videoconferencing.

Casey King, CTO, LifeSize Communications

In which verticals do you find the relevance of high-definition
videoconferencing (HDVC) is increasing?

Large enterprises, governments, academic institutions, and health care
organizations are certainly early adopters. However, we have also found
tremendous interest in the (SMB) market. With enterprises moving toward IP-based
platforms, the corporate sector has emerged as the biggest buyer for
conferencing solutions. In the recent years, service providers such as Bharti,
Reliance, and VSNL have also emerged as important buyers of conferencing
solutions.

How do you see the future of HDVC in India?

The future of high-definition videoconferencing (HDVC) is very bright in
India. High-definition and low-cost are important because they enable widespread
use of the technology. So, the short-term2008is about wider deployment of
high-definition and IP video. In the intermediate future, we will see more
integrated communication, video and audio incorporated with technologies that
route calls according to presence and preferences.

Sandeep Sharma

sandeeps@cybermedia.co.in