Audio conferencing provides a way
for businesses and other groups to interact, without having to
travel to each other’s offices. The savings in time and travel
expenses quickly make up for the cost of audio conferencing services
and equipment. Audio conferencing usually involves other types of
teleconferencing technology, such as video and collaborative
software. Collaborative software is software that one user may send
to other users for simultaneous viewing and modification. For
example, if the group wants to work on a diagram, it can be seen and
drawn upon by anybody in the conference via a special electronic
whiteboard.
An audio conferencing system can be rented, bought from a vendor or
reseller, or hired as part of a full audio conferencing solution.
Such full-service packages include human support services like
management, marketing, and tech support.
When audio conferencing services are rented, the communication is
routed through the vendor’s server software. The client is charged
according to the number of users or “seats” who will be
participating, the length of time each seat will be participating,
and any initial equipment rental or purchase costs. The vendor can
charge a per-seat and per-minute fee (for example,
$0.15/seat/minute). Alternatively, a client can rent the service by
the week, month, or year, with a maximum allowed number of seats per
conference or session. For example, a one-week service for five
seats could cost $100 a week, while a one-year service for 100
people could cost a few thousand dollars. Rental audio conferencing
services are best for small to medium sized businesses where the
initial equipment purchase costs would far outweigh the savings on
travel.
When audio conferencing services are bought, the communication is
routed through the client’s server software, which is bought and
licensed from the vendor. The client chooses how small or large a
package he or she wants. For example, the client can buy software
that allows for 100 seats, 1000 seats, or much more. The client can
decide whether to include any of a number of high-tech add-ons such
as whiteboard capabilities, and whether expandability is important.
The client buys all the necessary equipment and software to run the
system. The initial cost can be tens of thousands of dollars, so
these are best suited to larger numbers of seats over the long term.
However, tech support will always be a necessity, so the client
should subscribe to the vendor’s expertise.
About the Author:
Audio Conferencing provides detailed information about audio
conferencing services, equipment, software, companies, plus online
audio conferencing, and more. For more information go to http://www.e-audioconferencing.com
and/or visit our affiliate site at http://www.original-content.net.
Source: www.isnare.com
