Conferencing solutions have paved the way for integrating video, voice and data over an easy-to-use interface. India is an emerging market for video web conferencing, and is expected to show tremendous growth in the coming years. Almost 70 per cent of Indian professionals expect it to grow exponentially and become more pervasive than ever by 2011 itself, according to a research. Presently, face to face meetings (approximately 82 per cent professionals) are the most popular mode of business communication. It is followed by emails (approximately 60 per cent professionals) and Internet video conferencing (approximately 57 per cent professionals).
The prospects of web video conference are much greater in Asia, especially India, than in Europe according to the research. This is so because firms here believe face to face communication is most effective in coming to a decision than emails or telephone conversations. In India, 98 per cent respondents believed that maintaining visual contact with business associates is essential while conducting important business deals. Therefore, Indian professionals can liaise with each other visually without the hassles and expenses associated with travelling, thus resulting in the exponential growth of video-based net conferencing.
The Indian market is at a nascent stage for web video conference services and vendors need to know the exact demands of the market. This research provides significant insight into the business requirements of Indian corporate firms. Therefore, companies can deliver net conferencing solutions with the requisite features to capture this booming market early.
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) as well as large enterprises based in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, financial services and government sectors are expected to lead this growth. Apart from these, media and entertainment companies will also be crucial in the success of Internet video conferencing in India.
Users in India predominantly rely on desktop computers and laptops running on broadband Internet connection or Wi-Fi for business communication. However, a paradigm shift is expected in mode of conferencing due to the advent of 3G technology in India. Professionals have the option of participating in a web video conference while commuting by using their tablet computers or Smartphones that run on high speed 3G connections.
Rate of acceptance is crucial in the success of video web conferencing in India, as users would have to be comfortable while using such solutions. Therefore, vendors focus on developing conferencing products that are easy to use and possess the features needed for effective and seamless communication. Companies simplify net conferencing on handheld devices by creating dedicated apps for popular operating systems like iOS, Android and BB OS 6. This way, they can enjoy greater acceptance among new professionals, who may find using technical solutions relatively difficult in the beginning.
Quality of Service (QoS) is also important for increasing the rate of acceptance in India. Service providers continually work towards delivering HD sound and video quality during the conferencing session. High resolution and synchronised audio and video will help in improving the QoS, thus augmenting the rate of adoption among Indian firms. Apart from that, companies use the highest security protocols to safeguard the event from being accessed or recorded illegally. Thus, they maintain confidentiality of the meeting and assure the users of the security of the conference.