VoIP Web Conferencing

Web conferencing allows participants of a conference or corporate meeting to sit at their own computer while at the same time maintaining a connection with other participants via the Internet. The idea is to facilitate communication even when the participants aren’t face-to-face so various devices for communication were created and among them is VoIP or Voice over IP.

VoIP web conferencing is just like any other web conferencing technology save for its affinity to using Internet-transmitted voice to telephone systems. As such, VoIP web conferencing contains all the basic features of a web conferencing tool, including screen sharing, file sharing, and even desktop sharing.

In screen sharing, the VoIP web conferencing participants are able to see whatever is on the presenter’s screen, thus allowing for more interaction between the host and the guests. File sharing allows the attendees to swap files from their computer to another participant’s computer. Desktop sharing resembles file sharing in that participants can still swap files to the extent of exchanging entire desktop contents.

Other features included in VoIP web conferencing are the following:

* Slide presentations (often created through PowerPoint)
* Application sharing, in which participants can cooperatively manipulate a spreadsheet, a word document, or any type of program on the presenter’s computer
* Web co-browsing where participants can literally share their browser’s capabilities in order to surf through the same sites
* Annotation (allowing the presenter to highlight or mark items on display, in much the same way as wiki pages are handled)
* Text messaging
* File sharing
* Polls and surveys

Some VoIP web conferencing software allows conferences to be recorded for playback at a later time.

What is VoIP Web Conferencing?

As a technology, VoIP web conferencing enables you to route voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP network. So instead of the traditional, dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines (e.g., telephones), the voice data in VoIP web conferencing flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network.

This network arrangement made possible by VoIP web conferencing allows for several advantages over traditional telephone networks. These advantages include:

* Freer innovation – The innovation rate of VoIP web conferencing progresses as the market for it increases. Compared to the innovation rate in the multilateral International Telecommunications Union (ITU) committee process, VoIP web conferencing’s innovation rate is way faster, resulting in more new advanced features within shorter periods of time.
* Lower per-call costs. VoIP web conferencing dispels of the traditional telephony scheme where two separate wiring systems are needed to make room for voice and for network. With VoIP web conferencing, all you need is a single network and you are instantly connected with your people from all parts of the world.