WR Bulletin Vol 3 Issue #26 1-Jul-02
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Wainhouse Research Bulletin ONLINE NEWS AND VIEWS ON VISUAL COLLABORATION AND RICH MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS Andrew will be away the first two weeks of July, searching for Irish wines, Irish pubs, Irish sunshine, and Irish conferencing companies while learning to use his new digital camera. So, we’re taking a bit of a break from publishing. As always, please feel free to forward this newsletter to your colleagues. SUBSCRIBE NOW! IT’S FREE! To be added to our automated email distribution list, simply visit www.wainhouse.com/bulletin. Andrew W. Davis, [email protected] Spectel Intros New Audio Bridge Spectel has introduced a new audio conferencing bridge designed for small-to-medium enterprise (SME) deployment. The Spectel MeetingManager platform is an instant conferencing solution that will provide SME companies with in-house voice conferencing for up to 60 concurrent participants. Designed for simple installation, the Spectel MeetingManager platform is a fully automated, plug- and-play solution that works with a business' existing phone system and supports global telephone system standards, enabling domestic and international connectivity from a single platform. A whenever, (on-demand) wherever voice conferencing platform, the Spectel MeetingManager is scalable from 24 to 48 (T1), 30 to 60 (E1), concurrent participants on a single Andrew got to practice his Irish at Collaborate East while conference or multiple simultaneous conferences. learning about a new audio bridge All I’m allowed to say is that pricing starts below $21K. Most companies should see a pretty quick ROI. New Software from Octave Here’s What I Think Octave has introduced new software for its OCI 1000 audio bridge, extending the capabilities of the I think the time for enterprise deployments is rising as hardware, which has made its mark primarily as a conferencing infrastructure equipment gets easier to reservationless system, with new features for attended use, install, maintain, etc. The need for (audio) service conferences. The attended features are based on an providers will diminish. That’s the bottom line. This enhanced operator console with a medium-long list of box, which is about the size of an ISDN modem, and new capabilities. With the new software, the bridge equally attractive in its black shoebox shell, is about as now also supports PSTN and IP streams in a single plug-n-play as you can get. Click on the WR Forum chassis – connecting PSTN, H.323, and SIP endpoints link below (or send me an email) and let me know specific to Widows Messenger in the same conference what you think about in-house deployments and per or different conferences without the need for external port audio pricing. And so what if it’s ugly. gateways. [email protected] [email protected] (Nancy Pieretti) WR Forum: In-house audio bridge deployments, prices The Wainhouse Research Bulletin Page-1 Vol. 3 #26, July 1, 2002 Compunetix Integrates with IM PUG Meeting in August At the Collaborate East show in Boston Compunetix The Polycom User Group (PUG) will have its next was demonstrating an interesting software annual conference, entitled “Virtual Communications: enhancement to their Context audio bridge. You can Charting Our Course,” Aug. 24 - 28, 2002 at Disney’s add the bridge to your IM buddy list (AOL or Yacht Club in Orlando, Florida. This event will bring Microsoft Messenger) and then use the IM application together PUG members and leading experts to discuss itself to call other people. There is another level of Polycom’s strategic vision, the product roadmap, best intelligence programmed in as well, so for example, practices, and the future of the collaboration industry. you can type in text messages like “call me,” or “call sam at 777-888-1234” or “call office” or “mute sam” The conference program includes a session on IP etc. The IM screen also shows the status of the call Deployment: Navigating Your Way to Success, which and if you are the conference host, you can see who is will review the decisions and steps required to migrate connected BEFORE you call in, saving valuable time ISDN conferencing networks to IP. The program for selected individuals. The bridge supports both on- includes a telecom industry panel including demand conferences as well as scheduled calls representatives from AT&T, Cisco, Global Crossing, (notification by email also supported). This seems like Masergy, and SPLIS. The panel also includes Andrew a pretty neat way to go and we’re hoping to give the Davis of WR and Ann Earon from TRI. software a spin here at Wainhouse Research. Check out www.pug.com I also saw a demo of the company’s video bridge in which an on-demand conference was started by dialing Sprint Shows eVideoconferencing in to a conference number and entering a pin. This was At Collaborate in Boston last week, Sprint was done by both a video terminal and a voice terminal showing a full complement of collaboration solutions, using the same dial-in numbers to join the same including attended and unattended audio, video, online conference. presentations, streaming, and IM. New to the mix was eVideoconferencing, a web-based service for launching videoconferences on demand. With this service, Sprint now offers unattended audio (running on Compunetix gear), unattended video (running on Polycom MCUs), and unattended web conferencing (which we believe stems from a privately labeled, customized version of PlaceWare software). All of these are presented to the user through a conferencing portal. I saw a multipoint call launched on-demand that connected a few points over ISDN as well as IP – giving Sprint customers the ability to migrate slowly from ISDN to IP without a forklift user interface upgrade. It is refreshing to see a major carrier offer such a comprehensive audio-video- web conferencing capability (with MCUs and gateways nestled behind the scenes), integrating ISDN, POTS & IP. If only the service were priced for mere mortals. Wainhouse Research partner and senior analyst Andy Nilssen at Loudeye Takes Aim at Web Conferencing very-lightly-attended Collaborate East unraveling the secrets of ClearOne’s video strategy. Based on webcasting technology acquired in September 2001 when it gobbled up Activate, Loudeye The Wainhouse.com Web Link Database: Technologies is introducing a web conferencing Over 28,300 click-thrus served ! service to compete with the likes of Genesys, WebEx and PlaceWare, among others. While not yet Our categorized, searchable Industry Web Links announced, the product was being demonstrated at database now contains over 470 Internet web links Collaborate in Boston. Expected pricing around $100 Bookmark www.wainhouse.com/links. per month per user (unlimited use). Color us unimpressed. The Wainhouse Research Bulletin Page-2 Vol. 3 #26, July 1, 2002 Pixion Takes Aim at Web Conferencing New Rich Media Conferencing Pleasanton, CA-based Pixion has introduced a hosted Resource Book Available services web conferencing solution. The company now Wainhouse Research has provides for enterprise software and web conferencing published the new “Rich services for Windows, Macintosh, and Solaris-based Media Conferencing Industry users. Whether being multi-platform is worth anything Resource Book 2002,” our today in the age of web-based interfaces remains to be guide to the market trends, seen. Also remaining to be seen is whether the web technologies, and vendors conferencing market, which we do believe will be driving the industry. huge, will really support all the vendors that are coming out of the woodwork. Written specifically with the enterprise user in mind, this Achtung: Sie Verlassen den Konferencing 235-page book includes over- views of the 75 leading Sektor vendors. What???? Just trying to grab your attention. Here’s the Price is $995; full details including a table of contents is story. Wainhouse Research is joining with German/ available at www.wainhouse.com/reports. UK reseller MVC to produce a dynamite set of one day seminars on the future of Advance Notice::: WR Summit 2003 conferencing applications and technologies, IP networks, and under- standing the issues for successful conferencing deployments. These seminars will be free to all attendees, who besides receiving a The Wainhouse Research Summit 2003 will take place free lunch courtesy of MVC, will get to meet yours July 23-24 2003 in Boston, MA. So start planning truly face-to-face while he practices his high school ahead. Agenda details will be forthcoming after the German and rides the German railway system. The summer as will info on the sponsorship program. current schedule looks like: The WR Summit has become the industry’s premiere September 9……… Dusseldorf. networking event, with conferencing professionals, September 10……… Hamburg. integrators, and vendors interacting over plans, September 11……… Berlin (ist eine Reise wert!) successes, difficulties, and future intentions in voice, September 17……… Frankfurt. video, and data conferencing products and services. September 18……… Stuttgart. September 19……… Munich. The 2003 event will be hosted at the Colonnade Hotel, Additional details will be forthcoming at the MVC web across the street from last year’s venue (and site and in the WRB, but feel free to write Denija at conveniently located atop an MBTA station). The hotel [email protected] for more information or to has recently renovated ballroom space with state of the sign up now. MVC is also interested in bringing on- art audio/visual technology – perfect for the Summit. board a few fellow sponsors for the event series. The independent hotel prides itself on its 285 spacious, detailed guest rooms with high speed Internet access. Enhanced Software from RADVISION The Colonnade is located in Boston's historic Back Upgraded software from RADVISION adds Bay, near the Copley Place and Prudential Center functionality and improvements to the company’s shopping complexes, the Hynes Convention Center, viaIP MCU and gateway modules.