The Benefits of Mobile Videoconferencing

By now, you’ve probably seen and heard a lot about the importance of mobility. I myself have contributed quite a few articles about it, and how companies can benefit from mobile workers. Well, to talk about something more specific, let’s look at mobile conferencing.

Mobile videoconferencing is among the most useful tools for mobile collaboration. One can enter meetings and conferences with their co-workers over the Internet from their tablet or mobile device, saving time and money that would normally be spent on transportation, while still having a face-to-face experience.

Recent studies have shown that nearly 75 percent of employees who have tried videoconferencing have found it to be much preferable when working with remote teams than email or phone, as it provides a more personal experience.

At the moment, the leaders in mobile videoconferencing are Cisco (News - Alert) and Polycom, with a combined 80 percent market share, with Avaya a strong contender, and other companies such as Vidyo offering equally useful solutions.

While it has taken a while for mass adoption to start, things are beginning to look up. Smart devices are becoming more common, and being able to host videoconferencing solutions on the cloud makes for more affordable prices, so even small businesses can begin to take advantage of video.

As such, those who are hesitant to start mobile conferencing are running out of excuses. The cloud has made it more affordable, the amount of mobile devices being used has made it more widespread and applicable, and there are undeniable benefits to teamwork, productivity, and travel costs.

Video conferencing is no longer something that requires dedicated rooms and large cameras. It’s now something that can be done from tablets, phones, laptop computers – even some video games are using video for online multiplayer gaming. Being able to get into videoconferences while on the go is helpful in so many ways, and as the technology for it improves, it’s only going to get better.