Collaborative: Industry News

Posted: 5/2003

RADVISION, NTT DoCoMo Enable Mobile Video Conferencing Service

By Khali Henderson

The Panasonic P2102V features two built-in cameras that can record still shots and video clips with sound at 15 frames per second, which can then be sent as e-mail attachments even when talking on the phone. For easier use, the display can be rotated 135 degrees.

RADVISION launched in February a new gateway that supports video conferencing between mobile phones riding 3G networks. Called viaIP gw-P20/M, the new gateway already is being used by NTT DoCoMo, the world's largest 3G and mobile service provider, as a component for its trial service enabling real-time video telephony between users' 3G video phones and IP-based H.323 video phones.

The viaIP gw-P20/M gateway supports real-time bi-directional streaming of video telephony sessions between 3G-324M-enabled cell phones and PDAs and multiple IP and ISDN-based video conferencing systems using the 3G-324M standard for real-time multimedia communications over WCDMA and CDMA2000 3G networks. 3G-324M enables 3G service providers to leverage circuit-switched channels to deliver low-latency, high-bandwidth throughput necessary to support delay-sensitive applications such as wireless video conferencing, video streaming and multimedia gaming.

The RADVISION Gateway supports the 3G-324M specifications from both the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for WCDMA and 3GPP2 for CDMA2000. These partnership bodies bring together a number of telecommunications standards groups to define a set of globally applicable technical specifications for 3G systems.

The gateway also enables mobile videophones to utilize additional resources on the IP network including multipoint conferencing bridges to host three or more parties in a single session, voice and video gatekeepers, and terminals.

Because the Gateway is a compact PCI card and is part of the viaIP family of products, this gateway also is suited for enterprises seeking both support for existing IP or ISDN-based video conferencing along with 3G-based wireless video conferencing.

NTT-BB, a subsidiary of NTT, will start trial service using DoCoMo's Realtime Video Communication Platform to deliver a 3G to H.323 service over DoCoMo's FOMA (Freedom of Mobile Multimedia Access) network.

Raindance Awarded Patent for Conferencing Technology

Raindance Communications Inc. has expanded its patent portfolio with the receipt of its record-and-playback patent. The patent covers the capability to record all media content shared in an audio or Web conference and play it back at a later date, so absent parties can catch up, and companies can archive important events and provide a back-up transcript of meetings.

The record-and-playback feature captures every aspect of a Web conference, including slide presentations, annotating, application sharing, white boarding, chatting, Q&A and polling. It also is fully synchronized with the audio portion of the conference for complete integration.

"Raindance is continuing to make its mark in the virtual conferencing space by focusing on the types of innovation that lead to long-term business benefits for our customers," says Todd Vernon, CTO at Raindance. "We're seeing record-and-playback capabilities being implemented across the board, from prerecorded customer messages in small training departments to corporate communications within large-scale enterprises."

In addition to this patent, Raindance holds two others for the Web browsing and content-sharing features of its Web Conferencing Pro service. The company also has four new provisional patent applications on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that cover aspects of Raindance's forthcoming next-generation Web conferencing technology for the enterprise, code-named K2.

VNCI Acquires WilTel's Webcasting Business

Video Network Communications Inc. (VNCI) has purchased WilTel Communications Group Inc.'s Webcasting business, including about 100 new corporate customers. The amount of the transaction was not disclosed.

The acquisition extends VNCI's multimedia offering to include a ubiquitous solution for a range of business applications such as virtual road shows for equity offerings, analyst research distribution and conferences, corporate communications, clinical trials and training. The company also provides recently announced, fully managed interactive video services, data collaboration tools and video networking technology in its suite of offerings.

The company also announced the appointment of Alexander Russo as chairman of the VNCI board of directors. Russo is president of Moneyline Networks LLC, the parent of VNCI. Carl Muscari, formerly chairman, will remain CEO and a director.

"This acquisition maximizes VNCI's market opportunities for its managed video conferencing and data collaboration services. By adding Web casting capabilities to our managed video services and security offerings, VNCI rounds out its portfolio of multimedia solutions to Fortune 1,000 enterprises and government agencies," explained Muscari, in a statement.

FVC Rolls Out Small Business Version of Click to Meet Express

First Virtual Communications (FVC) has unveiled a new configuration option for its Click to Meet Express Web conferencing solution, enabling smaller deployments and easy entry into IP-based communications and collaboration.

The new offer is a four-concurrent-user version of the software solution, priced at $7,400, with an easy upgrade path to allow an organization to expand deployment as usage increases.

"As Web conferencing among dispersed workgroups and cross-functional teams becomes mainstream in daily business communications, we are making our award-winning Click to Meet Web conferencing solution available in a smaller configuration to support the needs of smaller organizations and workgroups," says Bob Romano, vice president of marketing at FVC. "With the successful launch of Click to Meet Express, we have clearly seen demand for Web conferencing in departmental deployments and small and medium-sized businesses."

Click to Meet Express enables dispersed groups to meet online and conduct collaborative meetings. It allows conferences to be created on-the-fly that can accommodate virtually anyone with a connection to the Internet and a properly configured PC. The solution offers presentation capabilities, multipoint video, application sharing and integrated audio.

GrassRoots Acquires FocusFocus

GrassRoots Communications Inc. (GRC) has acquired FocusFocus Inc., a Web-based collaborating conferencing technology group in Woodland Hills, Calif.

The acquisition will allow GRC to merge the technological advancements of FocusFocus with existing capabilities to create "GRC LIVE," which combines full video, voice, text and data into one global, real-time interactive meeting capability, along with online marketing functionality. GRC LIVE allows collaborating users to share presentations, documents, spreadsheets, software applications or browse Web pages while seeing and talking to one another via the Web.

"By adding FocusFocus to the GrassRoots family, we are combining efforts and products to produce superior communication solutions," explains Cery Perle, GRC CEO. "Now it is our mission to bring these tools to ordinary people and ordinary companies by offering our services at an affordable price, hence the name of our company."

Like GRC, FocusFocus specializes in the delivery of client's messages using cost-effective media marketing and communications solutions. GRC LIVE will offer businesses and individuals an affordable approach to video communication that will eliminate the need for the phone company, and a comprehensive system for e-mail marketing that delivers the power of TV commercials with the relevancy of personalization, says the company.

"We are looking at the future of communications, and trying to improve the efficiency of communication using the tools technology has provided, and FocusFocus brings even more core technology to GrassRoots," Perle says. "Because of GRC's superior architecture, enterprises of varying size can now turn to GRC as they look to reduce travel and communication expenditures in a difficult economic environment by allowing users to conduct remote meetings and seminars without the expense of travel and costly downtime."

Vialta's Beamer Joined Hollywood Stars at Oscars

Vialta Inc.'s Beamer, billed as the first Phone Video Station, was featured in the gift baskets given to presenters and performers at the 75th Academy Awards in March this year. Each of the 125 participants received a Beamer dual pack: one to keep and one to give to a family member or friend.

Beamer instantly adds video to phone calls over any home phone over an analog line, and there is no additional cost to the call.

Beamer is sold in pairs for $499 or as a single unit for $299, and is currently available nationally through Best Buy and Sharper Image; at regional retailers including Good Guys and Fry's, through select distributors and online at the maker's Web site, www.vialta.com.