Video conferencing software along with basic hardware enables online conferences for friendly chat sessions or for conducting meetings, training sessions, sales presentations and so on.
Typical costs:
Nonprofessionals seeking to conference one-on-one should first try out free messenger software from AOL[1] , Yahoo[2] or Microsoft[3] .
WebEx[4] is a leading conferencing and desktop sharing application that offers several pricing plans[5] starting at $69 for a "pay as you go" plan with no long-term commitment, and $59 a month for a prepaid annual plan. Both plans include unlimited online meetings and phone conferencing for up to 25 users. For larger capacities or details about a pay-per-use account, e-mail the company's sales office[6] or call 866-833-3910.
GoToMeeting[7] video conferencing suite charges $49 per month, with no long-term commitment. Its fixed annual plan[8] costs $39 per month, with a one-year commitment yielding a 20 percent discount, for an annual cost of $468.
MegaMeeting[9] is a competitor that requires no downloads or installation. It charges $45 a month for its professional version, per-seat with a three seat minimum.
Key software functions include a live meeting and webinar platform, instant messaging and permission-based file sharing, which allows authorized workers to access and alter sensitive documents.
Free trial service, ranging from two weeks to 30 days.
Additional costs:
A broadband Internet connection is a necessary upfront cost for those without at least DSL service. At a minimum, video conferencing can be accomplished with an inexpensive webcam, a microphone or headset, and a simple knack for camera composition and audio.
Most up-to-date PCs, Macs and laptops have decent built-in microphones. If not, webcam manufacturers sell them. CNET offers a thorough comparison chart[10] that covers the bases from $20 to over $100.
If your computer requires external speakers, go to TestFreak's review of speakers and costs[11] , bearing in mind that an $18 pair by Creative is an adequate starting point.
For privacy, a better option would be a headset (headphones with an attached microphone), which range from $5 to $50 and up.
Certain teleconferencing functions, such as acquiring secure meeting-participation passwords for more than the plan's allotted 25 users, may be billed as a separate charge (for example, $7 per connected seat at a highly-attended shareholders conference).
Discounts:
Subscription prices should decrease incrementally as the number of users (or seats) increases.
Shopping for video conferencing:
Check to see how the manufacturer structures its pricing plans based on the number of planned users.
Make sure your computer hardware and Internet bandwidth meet the minimum requirements for the software to operate properly.
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