IPTV Technology Featured Article

VideoCentric Launches VIPE in UK

By Shireen Dee, TMCnet Contributing Editor

VideoCentric’s recent launch of the VIPE (Video over Internet Protocol Everywhere) service in the United Kingdom is said to enable on-demand video conferencing over the internet without the need for pre-loaded software on PCs.

VIPE is a video conferencing service enabling global users to meet in a virtual meeting room over the internet. The terminus it will use could be anything from a firewall-protected PC with Webcam and headset to a regular cell phone or a professional H.320 ISDN (Integrated services digital network) room system to a high definition H.323 videoconferencing system.

"We have made it easy for those who have never conferenced before to join a multi-way videoconference on the Internet - PC users just click on a hyperlink sent to them inside an e-mail and they can immediately join a virtual meeting room with other PCs or other professional devices,” commented David Shimell, sales director for VideoCentric.

“VIPE offers huge advantages to organizations such as Recruitment Agencies, Financial Advisors, Universities, Telecare centers and so on, where the people they want to involve in a quick face-to-face conference have no prior experience, have no more than a broadband PC or a mobile phone or maybe they are on a corporate LAN firmly protected by a firewall," explained Shimell when asked about what made VIPE different from other video conferencing solutions such as Skype (News - Alert).

The VIPE claims to be advantageous to users as it will allow PC data sharing between desktops. While it will eliminate the need for pre-booking small rooms (up to four sites shown on each participant's screen), it will help users to reserve larger rooms (up to12 sites) in advance and also supply USB Web-cams to those who need them.

It has additional features like worldwide H.320 ISDN as well as H.323, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and Microsoft (News - Alert) Office Communicator compatibility.

Many organizations are currently using this service on a trial basis. While some intend to subscribe at monthly fixed rates, others prefer using it with no contractual commitments. There are also certain companies that want VideoCentric to host a private VIPE service for them.

Scheduled to go live in the UK by July 7, 2008, its account holders are expected to get worldwide access from that day forward.

Shireen Dee is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Shireen’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

 

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