IP Calling
On the technology front, FY 07 saw the transition from ISDN to IP networks. Though there still continued to be a sizeable market for equipment running on dual mode, the pure IP platform was successful in increasing its base considering the benefits it brings along. The banking sector, in particular, has seen deployments in pure IP. The benefits include lower running costs, easier management and control, remote monitoring, higher quality audio and video, and integration into the corporate IT infrastructure. Videoconferencing on converged IP network also allows the network to be used for other applications. Videoconferencing can also be converged with IP-based applications like instant messaging, streaming and Web collaboration. Customers will be able to adopt single conferencing platforms to use audio, video or Web-based solutions to communicate.

According to Frost & Sullivan, with cost effective and dynamic bandwidth usage, demand for videoconferencing infrastructure products are anticipated to rise along with the popularity of IP videoconferencing.

The technological shift from ISDN to IP also leads to easier deployment of videoconferencing solutions, thereby pushing demand in the SMB segment. IP networks, if efficiently used for videoconferencing, could catalyze adoption of videoconferencing as a viable option for effective communication.

With the growing adoption of IP in the Indian market, more companies are expected to upgrade their equipment to IP-enabled systems, as well as invest in gatekeepers and advanced management tools starting 2007. It is expected that non-bridging products will grow at a faster rate than standalone bridges during the maturity phase of the market. As the industry starts using IP networks, demand for software-based bridges and better videoconferencing infrastructure will also increase in tandem. Bandwidth availability and drop in bandwidth prices in the coming years will, however, hold the key to growth, according to Frost & Sullivan.

The growing adoption of IP has turned critical, beyond just the cost advantage. It has sparked off the adoption trends towards desktop conferencing as well. During FY 07, the adoption of desktop videoconferencing systems was low and still in its infancy as compared to group systems. However, as IP networks become ubiquitous and also highly efficient, at least within organizations, the need for desktop videoconferencing will also grow. The need to seamlessly communicate (video and voice) with clients, peers, suppliers and others will drive growth in the desktop conferencing space.

Other Trends
Additional trends were unified conferencing (converging audio, video and Web conferencing into a single unit) and mobile videoconferencing. The anticipation of 3G takeing off in the next couple of years, will bring opportunities to videoconferencing infrastructure vendors in providing real-time interactive video communications between 3G H.324M mobile phones and multiple IP videoconferencing endpoints.

Shipra Malhotra
shipram@cybermedia.co.in

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