“Technologies are more accessible to the average
person on the street as they become easier to use,
cheaper in price and more integrated into every day life.”
Robert deMontluzin
Question: Because of their high up- the systems. But we are seeing some and enjoying a simultaneous dinner along
front and operating costs, Telepresence organisations consider different deployment side him!
systems, in particular, are likely to models, with service providers considering
remain an industry niche suitable only per use rates, so that smaller organisations BR: Video conferencing technology is
for large enterprises for some time. can use the technology as required rather already entering these environments. Many
Would you agree with this statement? than owning it. of today’s low cost laptops have built-in
WiFi and webcams. The One Laptop Per
ML: No because we see Telepresence RDM: Yes, in the current environment that Child project, for example, is aimed at
differently – and will even guarantee that using may well be the case. But technology costs delivering technology that could enable video
these systems is cheaper than face to face always decline and so the uptake into smaller conferencing for educational purposes in
meetings at conventional costs. That’s not businesses increases. Similarly, as services developing countries, in some of the most
to say that Telepresence will replace all other become more sophisticated, the number of remote environments.
video conferencing solutions – they both have businesses offering their Telepresence suites
a role to play in customer’s business strategy. out to small businesses, for a price, is likely TA: We already see a lot of interest and actual
However it is very easy to be distracted by to increase. adoption of our solutions with academia and
the higher initial cost than traditional video we expect to continue to see this over the
conferencing systems. The ROI for Telepresence, as well as other coming years. In the home millions of people
audio, video and web casting conferencing use products like Windows Live Messenger
We believe that the quality of the experience solutions is compelling. The benefits don’t to conduct video calls every day. We
and the benefits - such as life size screen merely translate into hard financial cost anticipate home users will be able to connect
images and eye contact – mean that the savings, but also include very real benefits, with business users in the very near future –
service is taken up much more readily by e.g. productivity improvements, carbon even with video.
employees and so the ROI can actually be savings.
much more attractive. Cisco is probably one SL: It has already moved into my home,
of the largest users of Telepresence with 175 and into the homes of many of my team
rooms worldwide and they tell us that they Question: Moving away from the work members. The network to the home is
have achieved payback in less than one year, arena, do you foresee a time when your improving rapidly, and the entry point for
which is incredibly impressive. technology will move into education or Polycom videoconferencing is about £100,
even the home? so it is very feasible now to consider this sort
AC: No.The video/telepresence solutions of solution for home and mobile use. And
we offer range from the lower cost price of ML: It already has. We offer a number of remember the youth culture argument above
a desktop telepresence solution to a higher video solutions, in conjunction with Polycom – they are using it now and will continue to
price point for a fully immersive telepresence and Tandberg, which are tailored to sectors use it, but for business purposes, in a few
solution. Telepresence quality is therefore such as education. Even with restricted years time.
available across our entire product range budgets, we can help meet stretching
which subsequently allows telepresence educational standards through our interactive RDM: Without a doubt. The blurring of the line
implementations to go far beyond a niche video conferencing services. These can be between commercial and personal utilisation
market size. recorded for replay so that students benefit of technologies is continuing to increase.
from much larger number of tutors on a
BR: Telepresence systems are video regional and even global scale. It’s becoming common place for the latest
conferencing systems with all the technologies to become increasingly used
components very closely controlled – the AC: Yes, we explored the increased uptake in a personal capacity as well as a business
highest resolution video, the best audio, of telecommuting programs in a previous one.
high quality and high bandwidth network and question so you can see already that the
special room environmentals. This provides technology of today readily allows home or Technologies are more accessible to the
the best video conferencing experience there teleworkers to collaborate visually as if they average person on the street as they become
is. To provide all this costs a lot of money are actually in the office. Using the same easier to use, cheaper in price and more
today but costs will come down as more of technology for personal use is the natural next integrated into every day life. We are already
these systems are deployed and we gain the step and many people forget that we are all seeing interest from the retail banking sector
benefit of volume. actually doing this today using our 3G phones! as they look to integrate these technologies
Using video for personal use from home will into consumer oriented solutions to deliver
TA: For a long time to come that will be the definitely become more ubiquitous... I for a better customer experience. Imagine a
case. That is why customers are so excited instance have a video system at home which scenario, where a customer enters the bank,
about our more affordable RoundTable I frequently use to call my brother who is living an RFID tag on their card tells them their
solution which can cover any meeting room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There have even house insurance needs to be renewed, they
in the organisation at a very affordable price. been Christmases’ where we have been sat are ushered into a Telepresence suite, where
around a dinner table in the UK enjoying our product experts or sales agents from the
SL: It is likely the largest, most dispersed turkey, connecting to my brother in South banks global locations can help to close the
organisation will be the early adopters of America tucking into his Argentinean steak deal and/or upsell other products.
ecoexecutive | 38
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