Web Conference Service

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There is a growing trend for web conferences to incorporate VoIP and live video via web cams. Hence, the boundary between web conferencing and videoconferencing is blurring and may eventually disappear.

Web conferencing is most often sold as a service, hosted on a web server controlled by the vendor, either on a usage basis (cost per user per minute) or for a fixed fee (cost per "seat"). However, some vendors make their conferencing software available as a licensed product, allowing organizations that make heavy use of conferencing to install the software on their own servers. Also, some conferencing software operates on a peer-to-peer basis, eliminating the need for a server; however, this tends to be viable only for small group meetings.

Web Conference - What You Need To Know?

In order for you to organize a web conference you need to have the three key items:

- Computer with an high-speed internet connection (DSL, T1 or Cable Modem)
- A web conferencing solution (preferably with a video devices such as a web cam or any video source)
- Last but most important a phone line to hear the presenter

Arranging a Web Conference

To arrange a web conference or web meeting you will have to reserve a "virtual room" for a specific date and time, using the web conferencing solution software. You will then have to send invitation to the participants notifing then them to join the web conference at the appointed date and time. Web conference can range anywhere from 2 to 500 attendees or more.

The invitation will require the attendees to download a requisite software and a phone number to call into the meeting for audio portion of the session.

The duration of the web conference will depend upon the presenter.

Types of Web Conference Services

Webminar: Usually structured for training or tutorial session a webminar is similar to a web conference except that the audio is streamed over the internet instead on a separate phone line. A webminar is particularly designed to be interactive with the presenter and the audience.

Webcast: The word webcast is derived from "web" and "broadcast". Its use has varied over the past decade by different types of organization and as the nature of the medium came into public use.

The generally accepted use of the term webcast is the "transmission of linear audio or video content over the internet".

Finding The Best Web Conference Service For Your Organization.

The choice of the best web conference service for you or your company will be based on your particular situation, need and budget. There are certain factors you must consider before choosing your web conference service or provider, such as:

Cost: The higher your budget the better your chances for a quality web conference service. Usually web conferencing is paid on a per user or per-month basis that gives you unlimited web conferencing during the month. Each conference service provider comes with a single or muli-user license. 

Contracts and Commitments: Most of the companies that offer web conferencing services will not require a contract or commitment of any sort. You will have to signup for an account and pay on a term basis.

Audio Capabilities: Make sure that the service you are interest in offers a medium of tele-conferencing, either by VOIP or using a regular telepohone line. It's always cheaper to use a service that will offer you a complete web conference package.

Video Capabilities: Make sure the web conference service provider will give you a high quality video resolution. 


Why Web Conference.

Web conferencing is most commonly used for sales presentations, product demonstrations, training, meetings between geographically dispersed team members and brainstorming sessions. Here's why:

Create virtual teams - no matter what the geographical distance, web conferencing can keep your team members linked together. Through web conference, you can set up team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and new product demos. 

Expedite the decision - making process - like telephone conferencing but with the added demonstration component, web conferencing is good for laying out an idea, building a quick consensus and making a decision.

Expedite the close - prospects can live demo a product and ask questions, all in one sitting without ever leaving their desk. This convenience enables your sales team to immediately address concerns and move the sale along more quickly.

Decrease costs - Web conferencing is considerably less expensive than traveling for face-to-face meetings. Many Web conferencing companies allow pay-per-view presentations (costs range from $0.45 - $0.50 cents/minute/user).

Web Conference Service Providers.

There are many conferencing services available today. Some are offered on a trial basis and some offered as an entire web conference software package. 

Here are few of the recommended services:

Microsoft Live Meeting: A Web conferencing service that is part of the Microsoft Office series of applications. Live Meeting enables collaboration online with colleagues, customers, and partners in real time, in groups of two or even thousands—with just a PC, and an Internet connection. Unlike Net Meeting, Live Meeting allows users to begin meetings with a single email.

Epresence: An open/community source project developed within KMDI at the [University of Toronto], Canada, ePresence Interactive Media software is a content capturing, archiving, and webcasting system that delivers video and presentation media over the internet using multiple streaming formats for multiple platforms. ePresence also supports text and voice interaction among event participants. ePresence Interactive Media is available for download at SourceForge 

WEBEX Meetmenow: WebEx is the #1 provider of web meetings worldwide. With over 12,000 businesses using WebEx for online meetings and collaboration. Provides you with unlimited meetings, low flat rate, easy web conferencing, use your entire screen to web conference.

Vcall: Vcall is the #1 solution to produce Web events for large or diversified audiences. Get the interactivity of web conferencing with the reach and value of webcasting. PC, Mac & Linux compatible and firewall friendly, Vcall is 100% browser-based, so there is no software to load and no long term commitments to buy. Learn more