“Broadband will enable widespread adoption of Web conferencing”

Sriram Krishnamachari, Country Manager, India, Macromedia, says that the Web conferencing market in India will experience rapid growth.

How much is the Web conferencing market expected to grow in India?

By 2008, the APAC region is expected to outpace North America and Europe. According to IDC, growth in the APAC region was at 27.1 percent CAGR in November 2004, whereas Western Europe recorded a CAGR of 26.2 percent and North America a CAGR of 17 percent.

We do not have India-specific growth numbers, but with the rapid growth of BPO companies in India, it’s fairly clear that India will be at the forefront of supporting the rapid growth in Web conferencing in APAC.

How will the increased use of Web conferencing benefit Indian enterprises?

With the growth of outsourced work in the Indian IT industry, Web conferencing will enable branch offices in India to easily communicate with their headquarters as well as clients around the globe. This will increase their ability to secure revenue opportunities, communicate effectively, and reduce costs associated with working remotely because of reduced travel.

What are the new technologies in the Web conferencing space that will impact the market?

The biggest impact will be made by the availability of broadband Internet connections and next-generation Web conferencing solutions.

The availability of broadband Internet connections will enable widespread adoption of Web conferencing. This reach will enable Web conferencing to be a viable communication option for most organisations, regardless of the location of their staff.

The availability of next-generation Web conferencing solutions will provide a flexible framework to meet and make presentations online. This flexibility allows customisation of the online experience to account for various types of media and various interaction styles.