Meetings are an essential part of business whether you like it or not. A decade ago, there were two ways to meet: Face-to-face or over the phone.

1. Online Conferencing for Different Sectors
Meetings are an essential part of business whether you like it or not. A decade ago, there were two ways to
meet: Face-to-face or over the phone. Then there was video conferencing which was horribly expensive,
complex and given bandwidth limitations, was more frustrating than useful. Nowadays, however, thanks to
technology advancements, all one needs is a computer and access to the Internet to conduct an online
conference.
In general, online conferencing is a group meeting where two or more participants use a combination of
web-based text messaging and screen sharing to communicate with one another. Web conferencing is
commonly used to perform live meetings, training or presentations via the Internet.
Online conferencing can also be known as web conferencing or online collaboration. Web conferencing
could be considered as an alternative to teleconferencing or the two could be combined to provide an even
better conferencing experience. This is particularly true when the teleconferencing capability is provided
using voice over IP (VOIP) technology.

2. Getting the Most from Online Conferencing for Business
Today almost all the business decision makers know the importance and impact of face-to-face meetings
with colleagues, clients and customers. But these same decision makers would also agree that cutting down
on the expenses associated with face-to-face meetings is an area they would like to address.
For the individuals who do all the long-distance traveling, being able to cut back on travel not only means
financial savings but also more time to spend with family and loved ones. As they strive to strike a balance
between their work and personal lives, online collaboration solutions can certainly help them find time for
both.
There are numerous collaboration solutions in the market. One of my favorite appliances is RHUB's 4-in-1
TurboMeeting which serves multiple purposes such as secure web conferencing, remote access, remote
support, and webinar - making it a great value. There are many benefits in using online conferencing, as
opposed to video phone conferencing.

3. First of all, this technology will save travel expenses by a mile. There will no longer be hotel accommodations
and plane fares. You won't also have to worry about reservations or similar concerns which have to be
attended to when meetings take place. This simple technology even allows for an exchange of documents,
music clips, pictures, presentations, slide shows and videos prior, during and even after each conference.
Some online conferencing even include virtual "white boards" where participants can simply "draw" or
"scribble" their messages. Another major benefit in using web conference is that the cost of each conference
call depends mainly on the going rates of your chosen online conference service providers plus that of your
Internet service provider.

4. Use of Web Conferencing across Various Fields
Web conferencing service could not only be used in business sectors but also in fields such as:
- Healthcare sector
- Education sector
- Government sector
Healthcare sector:
Now-a-days web based video conferencing has become quite popular among hospitals. Using this
technology, doctors can help patients who are unable to come to the hospitals because of their illness. This
technology is really helpful for rural areas where people lack access to proper healthcare.
This technology helps the health professionals diagnose disease and treat patients who are in different
geographical locations. By transmitting live or stored video, voice and data, these solutions allow people to
interact and share information as freely and naturally as if they are sitting together. This technology helps to
save time and money in traveling.
Tele -medicine can be considered as a boon for both patients and doctors. Telemedicine tools help deliver
healthcare in medical disciplines like emergency medicine, dentistry, neurology, psychiatry, orthopedics and
rheumatology. There are also many peripheral devices which can be attached to computers which can aid in
an interactive examination. For instance,
- Tele-stethoscope allows the consulting physician to hear the patient's heartbeat
- Tele-otoscope allows a physician to 'see' inside a patient's ear
Education sector:
Now-a-days, almost all educational institutions are adopting conferencing technology to provide qualified
knowledge to their students. Many California schools are using web conferencing to connect with one
another and produce networks carrying large volumes of video and text data to educational facilities,
teachers and students. Other than students, web conferencing could be used by librarians to develop
strategies, provide resources and improve the quality of their service and delivery. This technology is really
helpful for non traditional students who cannot attend classes during normal hours.

5. Government Sector:
Web conferencing can be used in many ways within the government. Many agencies have adopted web
conferencing for weekly meetings with remote offices to keep each site up-to-date on their project. Even
though telephone and email can help to stay in touch and communicate over long distances, web
conferencing provides much more.
Web conferencing will help you to connect with government officials across the country or around the world
with real time collaboration. It is becoming even easier to reach maximum potential. It actually helps users
to save time and money in traveling.
Conclusion:
However, before opting for this effective collaboration tool, you must understand the providers' market
credibility and quality of service; which is not only easy to setup and use but also saves substantial time and
money that can be used for other purposes.