Until now, the process of conducting video conferencing in a company has been an arduous one. Officials have to leave their cabin for a dedicated “conference room” and then converse with their colleagues or partners.

Now though, concepts like desktop-based and portable conferencing is catching up, as it enables the official to initiate and continue the call almost anywhere.

“Desktop-based or portable videoconferencing is also getting popular because of the much improved video compression technology,” says Chetan Turakhia, Director, Intellicon (India) who have introduced a new “Videophone” in the country last month which is called Maia Xc - Aethra Video Phone.

“This enables images to be more real and capture movements in real-time. In fact, the best thing about today’s videoconferencing technology is that they marry the facility of desk or table top with the highest quality of images.”

He says web cams, which are the de-facto videophones working in many home PCs, is inadequate as a video technology because it can hardly perform video compression. As a result, the image quality is poor and the mobility (of the image) hasn’t been in real-time. And, as HD video devices and wireless technology gradually connects homes and organisations, he says people will ask for high quality visual communication in coming years, which is behind introduction of devices like Maia Xc - Aethra Video Phone.

According to experts, videoconferencing has seen a revival in the last few years after a period of lull, thanks largely to the shift from ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) to IP (Internet Protocol) networks in the last few years in North America and other regions.

Coupled with this is the advancement in HD (High-Definition) video and audio technology, with the introduction of standards like H.323 — defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for videoconferencing functions on IP (Internet Protocol) networks—and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol).

“In addition, there is also the incorporation of collaboration and communication tools in a unified communication (UC) platform which has driven down the cost and simplified the usability of videoconferencing devices,” says Mr Turakhia.

Increasing use of videoconferencing is also helped by the possibility of multi-conferencing -the ability of a device to connect to devices of any kind. This means connecting personal computers with any kind of devices, whether ISDN, IP or 3-G UMTS.

Maia Xc - Aethra Video Phone, which is being distributed by Intellicon in India, is more a UC device, allowing users to work on instant messaging and email, while conversing on the videophone. The photo viewer application also enables them to exchange and view pictures. “With the availability of browser and internet usage, this is effectively the PC with extra emphasis on videophone,” Mr Turakhia says.

“This is more an ideal device for tele workers -those working from home— and persons who have close relatives in foreign countries. The phone can be programmed to identify the person (the IP address of his device) present online and can instantly connect with him.”