Is Video Finally Ready For Prime Time?

Videoconferencing has had, at best, a checkered history. Almost half a century has passed since it was introduced by AT&T as the "PicturePhone"

Over those 40+ years, videoconferencing rooms gradually came to be deployed by many enterprises attracted by the promise of travel cost reductions. However, in the simple equation of value divided by hassle, videoconferencing failed in both the numerator and denominator: Viewing a grainy image at some distance failed on the value side, since low-resolution images did not provide any compelling communication, collaboration or trust-building benefit over audio conferencing. And driving to a special room to use equipment that needed a live on-site technical support staff to set up video calls and overcome connectivity issues was hardly the model of convenience.