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Suggestions for video conferencing

I have been asked to research a low cost method for a law firm to utilize video conferencing for meeting with their remote clients. I have performed some research, and am asking here for folks who have used this type of solution, and may have suggestions.

The obvious answer is Skype. I have problems with it's security, and the fact that it is taking up bandwidth when not being used.

I have also looked at Windows Live Messenger, but again the security seems to be an issue.

I have also looked at TeamViewer, but that seems to be more of a helpdesk program than a video conferenc program.

In all these cases, my other concern is the customer has a DSL connection to the Internet. This is a 10M down / 800K up DSL connection. I suspect the 800K upstream will not permit any of these programs to stream the outbound video with any quality.

Open for comments and I'll close the quesiton by close of business today (5/17/12). So please jump in with comments and suggestions.

Thanks

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Anthony Russo

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tcampbell_nc

ASKER

Thanks. I had not thought about the client side account issue, but that is a very good point. We need to make it easy on the clients (and the attorneys also <grin>).

GoToMeeting is a rather expensive option. I looked at it, and decided to remove it from contention based on the cost.

When you say that 800K should be enough, I failed to mention that this is a law firm with about 30 computers and a MS Exchange server sharing that 800K. I would not suspect more than one video conference at any one time, but with an in-house mail server, as will as typical Internet ussage for 30 clients, is the 800K still sufficient?

Anthony Russo

No way to know for sure without testing. Generally it should be. Most systems like Skype know how to optimize for available bandwidth. Also most office activities require more downloading than uploading bandwisth and you should be fine with that.