SEPTEMBER 2006 - WIDER MARKET FOR VIDEO CONFERENCING.

VQ Communications has launched VQ Video Conferencing (VC), a new and cost effective video, voice and data conferencing solution. It enables PC users to talk and work together from any IP enabled location delivering class leading video and audio performance and will play a significant role in making video, voice and data conferencing a realistic option for organisations of every size.

"The conferencing market is moving away from traditional, high cost room-based system to a new breed of low-cost, standards-based IP conferencing," commented, Giles Adams, CEO of VQ Communications. "This eliminates the cost and availability restrictions of traditional room-based systems and enables people to communicate when they want to, easily and cost effectively, in ad hoc calls."

VQ VC is scalable from one to thousands of users. It provides presence-based 'one click' calling for single or multipoint conferences as well as ad-hoc and scheduled multipoint calls. This simple to use solution, with built in NAT Firewall, enables staff working at any IP enabled location, such as home, office, hotel, airport or Wi-Fi hotspot, to maintain essential contact with colleagues. In addition, organisations can maximise their existing investments in video conferencing by using VQ VC to connect room-based systems with PC users as well as mobile, 3G, office and home phones.

There are two ways in which VQ VC can be used. For smaller organisations of up to 100 staff, VQ Communications provides a fully managed hosted service that delivers integrated video, voice and data conferencing for a fixed monthly charge per user including all software, network connection, maintenance and help desk support. For organisations wishing to deploy a larger number of users, VQ VC can also be purchased as a variety of packages including point to point, multi-point, traversal and data for installation across corporate IT networks. Companies can purchase the functionality they need today and add more as required.

Installation is a simple and straightforward process and can be achieved quickly, with a few mouse clicks without requiring any technical expertise. This makes VQ VC ideal for both small and large deployments. Significantly, the system uses the latest H.264 video codec to transmit and receive the highest quality video images to and from laptop or desktop PCs equipped with standard off-the-shelf webcams. The video quality is much like watching TV. Suitably equipped 3G phones can also be used.

"VQ Video Conferencing delivers cost effective access to video, voice and data conferencing which was previously only affordable to the largest organisations," continued, Giles Adams. "It meets all user expectations by delivering high quality audio and video pictures that enhance the communication process."

Users are automatically signed into VQ VC each time they log onto their PCs ensuring that they are always ready to receive or make calls. A VQ Call window appears onscreen to alert users when incoming calls are coming in and displays the video image of the caller. It also contains the presence list which lists all the contacts that can be called using VQ VC including fixed or mobile telephone numbers that can make or receive audio calls only. This compatibility gives users the flexibility to join multipoint conferences regardless of whether they have access to an IP enabled location.

VQ Video Conferencing enables video content to be streamed during a conference call as well as featuring secure (HTTPS) browser-based data collaboration that enables users to share and edit documents during conferences. The solution is fully compatible with the latest high definition room based systems and will enable organisations to maximise their existing investments in legacy video conferencing equipment by extending the reach of all H.323 and H.320 room-based systems.

VQ Communications aims to capture a significant share of the rapidly expanding web conferencing market which, according to Electronic Telespan, the West Coast-based teleconferencing publishing and consulting company, has grown globally from $50 to $600 million in the last five years. At this rate of growth, the global market will be worth over $7 billion by 2011.

For more information regarding VQ products, contact
VQ Sales on +44 (0) 845 270 2345
or email at sales@vqlive.com

back >