Internet conferencing is an aspect of technology that has been in existence, not for long. However, a part of the whole package of internet-based conferencing, called web conferencing had been in existence long before the use of the internet came into the picture. Web conferencing has all to do with audio and video communications on the web making live meetings and calls possible over the web. This is considered a cost effective means of communication mostly within the internal, but not excluding the external environments of a company in a bid to eliminate the physical meetings that may inconvenience other plans or lead to some people constantly missing out (Firestone & Ramalingam, 2007).
Such communications and conferencing on the web allows the concerned parties to make presentations, share documents, hold live meetings, facilitates seminars, and can be utilized in the event of training users and staff. This can focus on use of say software or applications adopted by a given company and in communication with the key stakeholders, especially those that may be in significantly diverse geographical places. There are many advantages associated with this connections resource sharing is crucial to this accompanied with the elimination of time wasting activities such as the arrangement of a physical place where the meeting should be held and provision for refreshments that may not be cost effective. Such meetings also give an assurance of a higher turn out since the people involved need to travel or commit themselves in terms of time and costs incurred this helps a lot in making the meetings efficient and successful.
Internet based conferencing allows for security for people who might settle on sharing their documents online. It does this by presenting a safe environment that is task specific, has much to do with improvement on productivity and performance issues of the company. It is cost saving and effective to most companies, given it is ability to eliminate too many employees who may not be adding value to the company and the possibility to make real time decisions regardless of the physical availability of all the concerned parties (Firestone & Ramalingam, 2007).
The most significant features of internet based conferencing include use of a web interface to facilitate both audio and video conversations and a secure environment for crucial and confidential conferencing. In addition, some operator based meeting points that are, however, optional eliminates the need to download software to use the service, which has many disadvantages. Key of these is the slow speed and planned and unplanned downtime issues in utilization of service, provision for post conference reporting platforms and finally a chat window that is mostly utilized for interaction purposes during the Q&A sessions (Quarterman, 1990).
Many types of internet conferencing exist and can be utilized by companies according to the choices they make for the type that best suits their interests. One of these is web conferencing that has been discussed a little above. This form of internet conferencing calls for the existence of a web page to which the concerned parties log in to communicate. It is considered rigid since it is entirely not incremented by any other form of communication and utilizes the digital cameras in built in most laptops and some desktop computers. Such provisions make audio and video conversations possible, allowing the conference participants to hear from and see each other, given a stable internet connection (Dominick, 2011).
Another form of internet conferencing has more than just the simple web conferencing discussed above. The difference comes in that such a conference is supplemented, with a telephone call to make the conferencing process more efficient and effective. It is an improvement of the simple web conferencing with an aim of making the whole process easier and organized, by offering much help to the moderator.
Given the constant improvement of technology, research shows that internet based conferencing will, in the near future, be the only means through which communications will be made in companies. This has much to do with the rapid adoption of internet in companies, supplemented with availability of phone connections throughout the internal environment of most workplaces. Realization of such a prediction is still unknown, but the economical and environmental benefit is of internet conferencing remain unchallenged (Firestone & Ramalingam, 2007).
(Dominick, 2011) claims that internet conferencing is the major reason behind flexibility, effectiveness and efficiency as regards online learning. According to him, the flexibility issues he refers to have much to do with the asynchronous time management nature of online learning and convenience to the individual users in terms of pace and period. This he says after a study of the application of internet conferencing in the United Kingdom’s Open University, in a bid to make online learning a reality to their students. He further states that network communications are playing an important role in content delivery, especially as regards tutors that may not be competent enough to face the students, promoted peer to peer communications, created a reasonable platform for feedback delivery and collection, and made independent correction processes possible. Johnston further calls for a situation where network communications are treated as competent and entirely reliable learning tools, therefore, suggesting for an allowance of the socialization process concerned with learning to take primacy over form.
Despite the many benefit is and advantages associated with internet conferencing, there are some limitations that make it less effective. In the event of this technology, most users and especially conference participants most often complain of difficulties they incur in downloading software from the internet. However, this problem was almost solved b provision of software needed in CD-ROMs, though not all internet conferencing software is available in this form. Installation has since been eased to some extent, but still remains a challenge, especially to users that might not e so competent in computer applications and their use (Firestone & Ramalingam, 2007).
Another major problem experienced by users is the issue of the sound quality during conferencing. This has much to do with hearing from the other party or being heard by them. Although this can be managed by training users, on how to switch between the various microphones to see which best suit is the conversation, sound quality still remains a persistent problem in internet conferencing. Some solutions that have been suggested to this problem include a need to upgrade the computers used for conferencing, installation of sound cards to boost the quality, and a change of the brand of headphones used (if any) in regard to compatibility with the computer brand and specifications.
There are problems related to the Internet Service Providers. Issues of planned and unplanned for downtime also subject this technology to a still wanting position. The frequent Skype failures and the recent failure of blogger among others have been said to be the enormous downtime failures that have faced internet conferencing. This then calls for high monitoring standards by the conferencing clientele, if they are, to appropriately react to the unplanned downtime problems. Customers can also avoid issues of downtime by ensuring availability of large disk spaces. Downtime issues may not only affect the network stability but also the software applications and storage facilities hence making conferencing impossible and a possibility of data loss (Quarterman, 1990).
As regards research on the effectiveness and efficiency of internet conferencing in application, the following conclusions, were made. First, there is a need for early and detailed testing of software used in conferencing, both initial and just before starting off the meetings, with enough time allowance for effecting changes that may arise. This will help much in ensuring success of the conference to be held by adjustment of the sound quality if need be and ensuring a stable internet connection.
Changes on the requirement specifications of the devices required to make internet conferencing successful should also be effected. This has much to do with a need to discourage use of the minimum requirements as they may affect the functionality, since this compromise much on the quality of communication achieved.
I am convicted that in a bid to look for solutions to various problems, peer to peer communication is crucial and plays a significant role, as well as corporate decision making. This cultivates progress, as opposed to solely made decisions (Dominick, 2011).Conclusively, internet conferencing plays a notable role in making communication and decision making real time in organizations, hence a real booster of effectiveness and efficiency, especially as regards decision making (Dominick, 2011).
References
Dominick, J. R. (2011). Dynamics of mass communication: media in transition (11th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Firestone, S., Ramalingam, T., & Fry, S. (2007). Voice and video conferencing fundamentals. Indianapolis, IN: Cisco Press.
Quarterman, J. S. (1990). The matrix: computer networks and conferencing systems worldwide. Bedford, Mass.: Digital Press.
