Guide to Purchasing Videoconferencing Equipment

Purchasing equipment for business videoconferencing can be difficult if you don't know much about the technology. There are different types of equipment available and some may not be well suited to your needs. The following guide will serve as a primer to help you ease into the market and see what is out there.

Know Your Needs

You can't just go out and purchase the cheapest videoconferencing solutions you can find on the market.

You have to think hard about what your needs will be for this equipment. Some things to consider include:

? How often will you be using the equipment?
? What is the average size of the conferences you will typically be holding?
? What is the size of room that you may be hosting your conferences from?
? Do you need any special features or functionalities available for these conferences?

How often you will use your equipment will help you determine whether it is wise to purchase your own or just rent the equipment as needed. Many businesses start out with rentals and as their need for the technology increases they eventually make the investment to own their equipment. By this time they are familiar with the equipment types and know what works best for their needs.

There may be some other things you need to think about, but that information will be asked for by a professional when you are ready to rent or make a purchase.

Don't be Afraid to Shop Online

If you are purchasing your own videoconferencing equipment it may feel natural to shop around for the best prices online, but businesses in the market to rent often don't know to look online. You can rent conferencing solutions through the Internet and have it delivered to your office just as you would when purchasing equipment.

You can learn a lot about videoconferencing equipment, and find better rates when you shop around online before making a purchase or rental. Just make sure that you give time for the delivery if your conference is scheduled soon.

Ask Lots of Questions

You want to rent or purchase this type of equipment from a professional who knows all about this industry. You know that you are working with a pro when you can reach a real person by phone or email and have all of your questions answered. If they don't seem to know what you are talking about or you feel you know more than they do, then perhaps you aren't dealing with someone knowledgeable enough to help you.

If you are working with a company that really knows about their equipment, they should be able to help you make your final decision. They can help you determine what type of equipment is needed and maybe give some pointers on getting it all set up. Without this, it is just the blind leading the blind and you won't get the most out of your equipment.

Learn, Learn, Learn

Finally, learn about all the different types of videoconferencing equipment available today before making a purchase. You may narrow it down to a couple options then rent them both and test drive the equipment before you commit with a purchase. Just make sure that you get the equipment you need for the type of conferences you want to conduct.

View the original article here

Three Question Guide: Does My Company Need Wireless LAN?

What is wireless LAN?

The first question you need to answer when determining whether or not wireless LAN is a must-have for your company is, "What is wireless LAN?" Wireless LAN, also known as WLAN, stands for a wireless local area network that links two or more enabled devices over-the-air and allows for Internet connectivity. In doing so, the wireless LAN allows for users to move around within a local coverage area, like an office, and stay online wherever they go. Traditionally, enterprise employees have been accessing the Internet from desktop computers that are tethered to wall jacks and connect through a cabled LAN powered by Ethernet. For many years, cabled LAN seemed like the most cost-effective alternative to enable business Internet connection when compared to the high hardware costs associated with installing in-building wireless network infrastructure. But ever since the hard costs for components began to decrease in the 1990s alongside an increase in the need for enterprise mobility, many businesses are seeing wireless LANs as attractive, efficient endeavors.

How would it benefit a business environment?

A recent research report from industry analyst firm DisplaySearch confirms that Apple's iPad shipped 15 million units in its first year and predicts iPad 2 sales to hit 40 million units by 2012. According to DisplaySearch, the worldwide tablet market will have shipped 260 million devices by 2016 - and that's 260 million devices that can help workers be more productive if only they had access to a WiFi connection. The novelty of mobility first struck business users with cellphones, but they were originally designed for voice communications only. Then, laptops initially seemed like the answer to working on-the-go - but an Ethernet cable plugged into a wall was still required to get online. Now there's the tablet and it appears, based on documented and projected sales, that companies have finally found their winner. With the right wireless LAN infrastructure for all-the-time, anywhere connectivity, these devices can help enterprises streamline costs, operations and even approval policies through a myriad of applications developed specifically for the mobile workforce and constant access to Web software used for specific tasks like reporting, etc.

What industries are best suited for wireless LAN?

While every day it looks more and more like investing in a wireless LAN installation is a smart idea for idea for any enterprise, there are a few industries that stand out particularly because of their unique characteristics and should be thinking about this immediately. In the healthcare industry, wireless connectivity for tablets and WiFi devices is becoming a key component of critical care - both for patients and staff. The need for reliable coverage delivered through wireless LAN has been proliferated capabilities for real-time mobile patient monitoring, electronic medical records (EMRs) and transfer of information, digital imaging. Since the hospitality industry hosts so many business travelers who expect hotel rooms to be mobile offices, WiFi connectivity is not only expected - it's expected to be free and always-on. Finally, as architects are working much closer with IT consultants during the early planning stages of a new building, new construction is a good industry to start thinking about laying the foundation for wireless LAN. Since retrofitting a building with distributed antennas can be extremely costly, installing wireless infrastructure before any walls and ceilings are up or occupants are moved in can save project developers significant costs in the future as well as increase the leasing fee they ask for due to advanced wireless connectivity.

View the original article here

Do You Need a Broadband Guide?

The task of renewing a broadband contract is growing increasingly complex by the year. Very little in this world remains static, but the pace at which internet technology is advancing is enough to make most people feel more than a little daunted when it comes to appraising the ever evolving broadband options that are available.

Recent statistics show that UK internet users are growing increasingly dependent on the world wide web for a whole host of reasons. Many are using it for gaming purposes and for other forms of entertainment, such as movie downloads, whilst others are relying more heavily on the internet as a shopping channel. This generally means that UK consumers are consistently demanding better download speeds and higher usage packages, and the service providers are doing everything that they can to meet the demand.

Fiber optics are now more commonly available, with companies like BT and Virgin Media investing in fiber optic infrastructure. This is having a dramatic affect on download speeds for users that have converted to the new technology. BT Infinity users, for example, are reporting a significant increase in download speeds, some saying that the service is three times faster than their old broadband connection.

As fiber optics is a relatively new development it is not available everywhere. So, whilst users are aware of the advantages of this technology, they do not necessarily know whether their area is covered, and by whom.

The prospect of phoning round to discover which service providers are operative within a given geographic region would probably not take too long, but that is assuming that the enquirer is aware of all the options available. BT have launched a massive TV advertising campaign about their broadband and TV package deals, and so awareness around their services is particularly high. Virgin Media do not advertise so broadly, and so consumer awareness regarding this company is likely to be lower.

Fortunately, the internet itself is able to assist many people in finding the right broadband package, and the right provider, for their specific needs.

There are a number of excellent comparison websites that provide really in depth information about all of the major products and services available in the UK. These sites are regularly updated and so the information is always kept current.

The comparison sites make it fantastically easy to compare broadband deals via a number of easy to use features. Price comparison tables that detail the key features allow people to compare broadband packages at a glance, and user reviews and product specification information provide a broader picture.

The better quality comparison sites will also produce user guides, and so it is entirely feasible to expect to be able to find a broadband guide if a complete overview of the industry is required.

View the original article here