The number of ways in which videoconferencing can be used is truly staggering, as evidenced by one western Pennsylvania county’s recent deployment. Allegheny County, PA, which is known more for its steel mills and love of the Pittsburgh Steelers than most anything else, now has one of the nation’s first videoconferencing programs specifically designated for its children’s court system.

The county’s videoconferencing technology, which was just secured through a unique public-private partnership, is aimed at reducing the trauma children experience when testifying in abuse and custody cases. By allowing children to testify from unique kid-friendly locations–such as a mobile child-friendly testimony unit–children no longer have to appear in front of those who have allegedly abused or neglected them or their siblings.

Clearly, the use of videoconferencing in child protection and custody matters is a best practice that’s worth noting. By improving court experiences for children, videoconferencing enables the expansion of the scope of participation outside of the justice and corrections systems to include all cases where children are impacted.

Kudos to Child Watch of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Children’s Court, and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services for having the insight to use videoconferencing in such a unique and profound way, as well for having our children’s best interests at heart.

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In Part I of this post, we brought to your attention a cottage industry worth noting: Drop-in Videoconferencing Services, like those offered by FedEx Kinko’s and VIT Worldwide Videoconferencing. In that post we started to explore whether these services are truly cost-effective and efficient for handing your face-to-face meeting and videoconferencing needs.

At FedEx Kinko’s, the price you pay for videoconferencing services depends on the type of videoconferencing service you need. For example (from FedEx Kinko’s website):

• Point-to-Point. Two videoconference locations, either FedEx Kinko’s to FedEx Kinko’s or FedEx Kinko’s to an outside location. Cost is $225.00 per hour per FedEx Kinko’s location.
• Point-to-Point with Conversion. Two videoconference locations, FedEx Kinko’s to outside location with conversion required. A conversion is the method used to connect incompatible equipment or networks with a FedEx Kinko’s location. Cost is $295.00 per hour per FedEx Kinko’s location.
• Multi-Point. Three or more videoconference locations. $265.00 per hour per FedEx Kinko’s location.
• Multi-Point with Conversion. Three or more videoconference locations, with conversion to a non-FedEx Kinko’s site required. A conversion is the method used to connect incompatible equipment or networks with a FedEx Kinko’s location. Cost is $335.00 per hour per FedEx Kinko’s location.

No matter how you slice it, FedEx Kinko’s drop-in videoconferencing services are very expensive. Throw on top of their standard fees the additional costs associated with bridging and recording, and you’re looking at a fairly substantial per hour fee.

At VIT Worldwide Videoconferencing–an innovative organization with 15 locations throughout the state of Vermont–businesses can expect to pay between $150.00 and $370.00 per hour, which is still a hefty price to pay for videoconferencing.

Here at Face to Face Live, Inc.™, we believe every business–regardless of size or industry–can have its own in-house high definition videoconferencing system at an affordable price. For around the same price FedEx Kinkos’ charges for just three hours of their videoconferencing services, we provide an entire month’s worth of in-house videoconferencing; and, our systems come with managed services that provide 24/7/365 customer support, user training, software upgrades, and more.

When you stop to think about, there’s a reason why you don’t run out to FedEx Kinko’s every time you need to make a photocopy. Why then would you choose to do the same for videoconferencing? You wouldn’t! Run the numbers and you quickly see that owning or renting a videoconferencing system of your own just makes more sense.

The bottom line on drop-in videoconferencing services (as we see them) is this: Using them takes more time, money, and effort then renting or owning a managed videoconferencing solution like the ones available from us–Face to Face Live, Inc.™.

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There’s an interesting little cottage industry popping up around the United States that’s worth noting. With the cost of gasoline and airline tickets soaring out of control, more businesses are turning to videoconferencing to hold meetings that once involved somewhat affordable travel. Now, community-based cable television-like services are getting in on the act by opening their studios to videoconferencing customers, but when you stop and do the math, do these services really make a lot of sense (i.e., cents and dollars)?

Take VIT for example. Billed as “Vermont’s largest public videoconferencing network,” VIT allows you to use one of their 15 statewide locations for holding videoconference meetings with people in different parts of the state or anywhere in the world where there’s a conforming connection available for your meeting. Sounds easy enough, right? And if money and time weren’t an object, services like those offered by VIT would be perfect.

Sadly, we do not work in a perfect world. The time, money and resources that are likely wasted using a drop-in service like VIT’s—when compared to renting or owning a new, technologically advanced and affordable high definition videoconferencing system of your own—can be astronomical. Tomorrow, in Part II of this post, we’ll explore the drop-in service phenomenon further, compare fixed costs, and take a deeper look at the convenience factor associated with drop-in videoconferencing centers versus having a videoconferencing system right in your own office or conference room.

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