The year VC takes off?
The videoconferencing industry has experienced many changes since its inception, with technological advances driving its steady market growth. However, the market has yet to boom in the way many have anticipated. Last year we discussed the prospect of an industry explosion, with the overcoming of various technological obstacles such as SIP and Firewall Traversal, central to this. These issues are real and are being addressed; yet there is a prospect that the videoconferencing industry will do no more than continue its predictable and gradual growth regardless. Could the catalyst be the worrying state of the global environment?
There is still evidence of a cultural barrier that is hampering an upsurge in the adoption of videoconferencing. Many companies are still happy to ring-fence huge travel budgets and journey by air, train or car to attend meetings. Not only does this make very little economic sense, but also more seriously is threatening to damage our environment. A recent report indicated that CO2 emissions from Aviation have dramatically increased as more and more people utilise this form of transport. It has been suggested that aviation fuel will be taxed in an effort to counter this problem. That is all well and good, but surely it would be more productive to reduce the amount of unnecessary travel rather than charge more for doing so.
Videoconferencing scholars have long been championing its green advantages, however, disappointingly not many enterprises have embraced videoconferencing based on this. Maybe it is time for more pressure to be exerted on the CO2 junkies and impress, no insist, on the use of videoconferencing. When Tony Blair came to power, ten years ago, his central theme was education. Subsequently, millions of pounds were pumped into schools and colleges, earmarked only for technology products such as interactive whiteboards. With the environment becoming increasingly important, what will be done? Why can the government not incentivize companies to purchase videoconferencing?
Gordon Brown was recently quoted as saying that the next era of politics would demand a new approach. Offering large users of videoconferencing a tax break would certainly be leftfield, but could be just the kind of kick-start the videoconferencing industry needs. This would surely be a more effective tool in aiming to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, than charging more for people who produce it. This tax will ultimately end with the consumer paying more for a service, while adding to an already massive problem. Videoconferencing could help to break this vicious cycle.
There is still evidence of a cultural barrier that is hampering an upsurge in the adoption of videoconferencing. Many companies are still happy to ring-fence huge travel budgets and journey by air, train or car to attend meetings. Not only does this make very little economic sense, but also more seriously is threatening to damage our environment. A recent report indicated that CO2 emissions from Aviation have dramatically increased as more and more people utilise this form of transport. It has been suggested that aviation fuel will be taxed in an effort to counter this problem. That is all well and good, but surely it would be more productive to reduce the amount of unnecessary travel rather than charge more for doing so.
Videoconferencing scholars have long been championing its green advantages, however, disappointingly not many enterprises have embraced videoconferencing based on this. Maybe it is time for more pressure to be exerted on the CO2 junkies and impress, no insist, on the use of videoconferencing. When Tony Blair came to power, ten years ago, his central theme was education. Subsequently, millions of pounds were pumped into schools and colleges, earmarked only for technology products such as interactive whiteboards. With the environment becoming increasingly important, what will be done? Why can the government not incentivize companies to purchase videoconferencing?
Gordon Brown was recently quoted as saying that the next era of politics would demand a new approach. Offering large users of videoconferencing a tax break would certainly be leftfield, but could be just the kind of kick-start the videoconferencing industry needs. This would surely be a more effective tool in aiming to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, than charging more for people who produce it. This tax will ultimately end with the consumer paying more for a service, while adding to an already massive problem. Videoconferencing could help to break this vicious cycle.