While most systems today are ISDN-based, industry participants expect the tide to turn towards IP over the next several years. For example, past generation systems used to force participants to look at a speaker when they would have preferred to be looking at a presentation.
Current systems offer dual video so that users can choose what they want to look at and when.
As a result, users get to share more visual data. Earlier systems required at least one individual with special training to set up and keep the video conferencing equipment running smoothly. With the introduction, over the past 12 months, of products that have excellent PC-integration capabilities, a growing number of users are realizing that video conferencing can be part of a collaborative session, says Davis. It's important that companies know their network environment if they're going to invest in video conferencing, according to Jacobs. She further notes that at Qwest, users can push through a 512Kbps call and get 60 frames per second for TV-quality video conferencing.