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How should I choose between a Conference Call and video or web conferencing?
Home » Information Technology » Conference Calls » How should I choose between a Conference Call and video or web conferencing?Video conferencing and web conferencing are the next technological step beyond the conference call. Whereas a conference call is performed strictly over the phone, video conferencing allows participants to see each other, and web conferencing allows for presentations and demonstrations on participants’ personal computers.
Seeing the other conference participants via video conferencing often improves communication (as well as participant focus), but there are also several additional features that convince many companies to use video and web conferencing. For example, conference hosts are able to perform web tours directing participants through company software or to share presentations that are difficult to pass through fax or email. Conferences that are held using the Internet are also easily recorded, edited, and left on the Internet as a webcast for other interested parties.
Video and web conferences are not, however, perfect for all businesses. Though they are growing cheaper (Microsoft founder Bill Gates said that web conferencing saved him $40 million in one year), video and web conferencing are generally still more expensive than telephone conference calls. In addition, while telephone conference calls require only a phone and a pass code, in many cases video and web conferencing require all participants to have microphones, video cameras, and extensive computer software and hardware.
Your company will simply need to decide whether the added cost and complexity of video and web conferencing is worth the effort. The purpose of your meeting may necessitate video or web conferencing, or you may determine that you don’t need the extra features and that a traditional conference call is what you want. As in every aspect of conference calls, the deciding factor is what your company needs.
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- How should I choose between a Conference Call and video or web conferencing?