Web Conferencing Choices on the Rise

While corporate travel budgets have all but evaporated over the last two years, the use of Web conferencing has grown by leaps and bounds. Jacqueline Emigh takes a look at the options currently available and explores what's on the horizon for the Web conferencing software and services market.

By Jacqueline Emigh | Jan 14, 2003
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With corporate travel budgets getting slashed right and left, Web conferencing is one market that's been growing by leaps and bounds. Systems administrators are being bombarded by an increasing variety of Web conferencing and collaboration offerings for enterprise use, ranging from software to outsourced services.

Overall revenues from Web conferencing applications will soar from $513 million in 2002 to $1.15 billion in 2006, according to IDC's latest statistics.

Likewise, Frost & Sullivan predicts Web conferencing revenues -- from both products and services -- will shoot up from $427 million in 2002 to almost $2.2 billion in 2008.

"A good Web conferencing product or service has features that are based on real line-of-business needs, such as marketing, training, and the ability to share presentations," said Robert Mahowald, an analyst at IDC.

Manageability issues are also key. "Vendors are hoping that, if they make things more manageable, Web conferencing [products and services] will get even more use," according to Mahowald.

Page 2: Travel Cuts Drive the Web Conferencing Surge

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