Video Teleconferencing, also known as VTC, is a telecommunication technology that allows different locations the ability to have a two-way video and audio communication simultaneously. This allows business meetings to take place in the privacy of their own office or home no matter where they are located in the World. VTC is becoming popular choice for meetings, and colleges, the military utilizes VTC in classrooms and families of deployed service members can communicated from overseas with one another. There are advantages and disadvantages to VTC. In order to understand the advantages and disadvantages, one must first understand how the technology system operates. VTC uses a digital compression of both video and audio in real time. Ones and zeroes are used in digital technology and are subdivided into what is called label packets. These packets are then transmitted through the digital network where they are converted between analog and digital format. In order to convert the signals a Coder/Decoder or CODEC is used. Some items that are required consist of video camera, computer, microphones, monitors, webcam, speakers, internet or landline, television, or projector. The computer is “a data processing unit that ties together the other components, does the compressing and decompressing, and initiates and maintains the data linkage via the network.” (Videoconferencing) Later in the paper, I will go into more detail of the VTC structure. Advantages to VTC consist of economic pressure that businesses must be more efficient and at the same time reduce costs. VTC allows communication with partners and suppliers around the world without having to incur addition costs such as long distance and international rates, cost for hotels and air fares including car rental and meals. Globalizations not only are enterprises today managing trade across borders and outsourcing certain business functions, they also have dispersed management teams and skill sets, which lead to increased challenges for corporate culture and communication. (Davis, 2011). Other advantages employees may have is the ability to work from home, save money for the company, put together a last minute meeting, better communication, quality education across the globe, and the ability to view the person you are communicating with. There are many other good reasons why businesses would want to use VTC. Where there are advantages there is also disadvantages. One of the main drawbacks to VTC is the use of the software or technical issues. In order to provide a web conference, participants are required to have suitable hardware, ability to download the software and internet connectivity. Poor connections or the computer does not meet the hardware requirement will not be productive to the business and is time consuming. Poor connection can delay the video conference. Similar to news station who use VTC while reporting overseas. There is a delay and while one is talking it takes awhile for the other to hear what was said. Not having the appropriate facility or require hardware will also prevent successful VTC meetings. Majority of the disadvantages are due to hardware and/or software issues. Technical advancement over the years has increased and is evolving so quickly it is hard to keep up with all of the changes. Approximately twenty years ago when VTC technology started, the cost was up into the millions of dollars. Today it is a lot less and allowing smaller businesses the capability of having VTC. Faster bandwidth and compatible hardware and software will allow VTC over the internet to be faster and allows everyone to utilize the service without faults.
References
Davis, Andrew W. (2011). Telepresence and video conferencing industry. Retrieved from http://www.tandberg.com/video-conferencing
Laudon, K. &Laudon J.P. (2012). Management information systems: managing the Digital firm (12e). Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Videoconferencing. Wikipedia. Retrieved Nov.2, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videoconferencing