Ukrainian business goes to the video conferencing

Almost worldwide business communications using video conferencing (VC) has long been an integral part of doing business. For foreign companies, and extends the Ukrainian market, where there is an annual 30% growth in the segment of video conferencing. There are several reasons: to enhance access to the domestic market of representative offices of foreign companies that use videoconferencing to communicate with headquarters, the expansion of structural branches of local businesses, including the establishment of regional branches and affiliated organizations, innovation in the sector of public entities (including medical and educational institutions), all of which more likely to use video conferencing system.

According to Evgeny Korolev, a company representative TrueConf in Ukraine, if during the crisis, IT-budgets of many Ukrainian companies were uzhato to the necessary minimum, which is limited to the acquisition and support of computer hardware and office equipment, today the market for videoconferencing is post-crisis recovery that can be traced to the growth of budgets of companies devoted to IT.

Demand for the use of videoconferencing by commercial and government enterprises is heated by such factors as the acceleration of decision-making, conducting negotiations and operational meetings, as well as reduction of budget expenses for travel of staff along with the ability to monitor the market at lightning speed in response to changing it.

“Last year we celebrate the rise in demand for video conferencing system. It is, first of all, speaks of the positive market trends in Ukraine. The use of videoconferencing creates a number of competitive advantages that are comparable with the additional savings and rapid response to market conditions for various types of enterprises. Today, video conferencing is increasingly part of the corporate standards of many organizations. The existing $ 10 million figure of the market – this is not the limit “, – said Ivan Motor, director of” SCD Ukraine. “

In turn, representatives of Ukrainian business structures, the choice of video conferencing systems, pay attention to the functional features of the FSI, the bandwidth of communication channels, the confidentiality of the negotiations, price range, image quality and number of participants who may take part in a conference simultaneously. Another thing to consider when choosing a transportable video conferencing – in business increasingly favor mobile systems and software solutions that do not require transportation.

Projects for the construction of videoconferencing in the country, including several species of the implementation of video conferencing:

1) Hardware solutions often include the codec, screen, camera, microphone, speakers, touch-sensitive control device, and so on;

 2) software solutions to various classes of simple and mixed-use Web applications to professional software. Software installed on your computer, laptop, notebook, equipped with web-camera and headset, or you are installing hardware solutions such as: setting full conference room, with image on a TV panel;

 3)Internet services are characterized by the fact that their servers are located on the side of videoconferencing company providing the service than they are less acceptable in relation to previous decisions in terms of quality, safety and efficiency.

The most expensive among the proposed solutions are hardware systems that are more likely carry a fashion value. They are usually implemented on the basis of fine equipment Tandberg or Polycom, have transfer video as HD – from 480 to 720p. The market already has the options to the quality of full HD – 1080p, but keep in mind that the higher the requested quality, the more money you will spend on it. This concerns not only the quality of the video, but a complete set of hardware and other videoconferencing systems. Thus, for the union members from all regions of Ukraine in a videoconference, you need to spend a few hundred thousand dollars. As for the other components of the hardware video conferencing, audio should be noted, which are characterized by sound quality, Auto Gain and automatic noise and echo cancellation. Videoconferencing system hardware and allow for both standard video calls, “one on one” and balanced video. At the same organizational issues may go by the wayside due to the possibility of pre-scheduling and distribution to participants. In addition, the owners of these hardware solutions videoconferencing provided an intuitive interface with the ability to use during the online conference documentation and training videos. From open sources that among companies that have already implemented a video conferencing system hardware structure of their offices, “Auchan Ukraine” Border Service of Ukraine, Altegro Sky, SkyLine, and others.

The main disadvantages of hardware solutions, other than high prices and, consequently, expensive service contract, you can add long-term implementation, high demands on the communication channels (1 Mbps) and reinstall the difficulty in the case of zoning office. In addition to the settings and there is a need to support the system by a qualified technician.

Software solutions are in the form of web-based application or a full-fledged software.

«Web-applications are ready to work anywhere in the world where the Internet, but at the same time demanding of communication channels and give the image is not in the qualitative form. Another type of video conferencing solutions is a complex software that is easy to compatible with any equipment – from web-cameras to more expensive options from leading manufacturers, “- said Ivan Zimin, head of the company’s unified communications IT-Solutions.

Feature of the software lies in the codec, which is at a low cost, you can send high quality images even in the Ukrainian communication lines (64 kbit / s). In addition, the software can be installed on almost any modern PC, and mobile devices that do not complicate their use anywhere in the world. Software systems have a high rate of personnel and video with synchronized audio. For users of this system is good for the fact that it requires no knowledge of IP addresses and has the function of addressing video calls by name. All this allows you to make video calls, personal, educational webinars and online conferences with presentations and display control remote desktop with any number of participants from all over the world. In addition, video conferencing software solutions are available not only for leadership but also for all levels of staff with a view to expanding the user base that will positively affect the operations of companies. However, this product has its minor faults. Thus, policy decisions have not yet allow you to display video in full HD. But it can not be called minus-one, because such an image must be shot in professional studios, otherwise, consider the merits of the video will be difficult. Talking about users who have chosen software solutions for business, the Internet refers to companies such as Nestle, VTB, “Ukragroleasing», Leroy Merlin, the Emergencies Ministry, the State Property Fund, switchgear, European University, the regional administration and others.

If a company interested in the cheapest solution – these may be the Internet services such as Skype or ooVoo known. Their key advantages start with the low cost and quick implementation. In, this, unfortunately, the pros come to an end, giving way to shortcomings, including lack of encryption (security) video conferencing, low quality, non-guaranteed performance, limited channel capacity and a small number of participants allowed video conferencing. However, if the user is satisfied with the ratio of the strengths and weaknesses, the data services – is also an option.

In general, to date there are no clear guidelines to choose: Image hardware solutions, the functionality of software systems, or the availability of antikommercheskuyu free Internet services. The main thing to remember that the video conferencing products – one of the components of business processes and the choice must be made directly to their own challenges and opportunities.