|
|
Tool
|
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
Cost
|
| Teleconferencing
Best with: Known parties or clear agendas
|
Phone lines
|
- Anyone can use it
- Doesn’t require any infrastructure investment
|
- Can support only a limited number of callers
- Call clarity can vary
|
- Negotiated with phone company
|
|
Over IP
|
- Allows for integration of voice and data
- Lots of features not available over traditional phone lines
|
- High bandwidth costs
- Quality of service varies
|
- Requires a large infrastructure investment
|
|
Data Conferencing
Best with: Known parties, shared documents
|
Hosted
|
- No need to install/manage
- Cost-efficient for companies with fewer than 2,000 users
|
- Security issues
- May require firewall adjustments
|
- Approximately 45 cents/min. per user, although companies can negotiate better rates
|
|
Licensed
|
- Ability to control and monitor usage
- Cost-effective for companies with more than 2,000 users
|
- Increased demands on network
- Requires multiple servers for secure internal and external use
|
- Software starts at $1,500, not including server and upkeep costs
|
|
Videoconferencing
Best with: Unknown parties
|
Over ISDN
|
- Proven to work 87% of the time
- Tools are getting easier to use
|
- Fails 13% of the time
- Multiparty calls need outside facilitation
|
- $5,000-$10,000 per location in hardware
- Line costs of $30 to $4,000 per hour for multiparty calls
|
|
Over IP
|
- More cost-efficient than ISDN if you have the network in place
- Allows for convergence with data
- Great image clarity
|
- High bandwidth requirements
- Quality of service varies
|
- $5,000-$10,000 per location for hardware
- Requires a large infrastructure investment
|
