By Mark Kawalya
With more employees working remotely, there is growing need for more remote personal meetings. This calls for video conferencing applications to do the job.
There are many options for different types of video conferencing applications each for organizations to choose from. The best one for your company will depend on the number of employees you have, your budget and special features you may need.
Zoom
Zoom is popular due to the many options included in every plan. The platform has great video, clear audio and instant sharing capabilities. These make it a favorite for many companies. Many people who use Zoom often switch from other conference call applications due to frustrations with other platforms.
Zoom is the ideal web meeting software for users who want to simply and effectively connect with customers and clients remotely. It also has Chrome and Linux OS support for increased flexibility and secure socket layer (SSL) encryption to guarantee secure communications.
All Zoom plans include:
- Screen sharing from desktops, tablets or mobile devices
- HD video and voice
- Unlimited number of meetings per month
- Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption
- Chat and messaging (private and group)
- Meeting record option
- Ability to join a meeting by telephone
- Instant or scheduled meetings
- Online support
- Breakout rooms
There’s also a free version of Zoom, but the features and capabilities are limited. Conferences that have many participants cannot go beyond 40 minutes. For advanced features like user management, inter-operability, custom meeting IDs for individual participants, phone support and managed domains, you must subscribe to one of its premium plans. Fortunately, the paid plans are typically less expensive than comparable plans with other providers.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is designed for effortless collaboration. It integrates with Office applications like Word and SharePoint, and its design and infrastructure make it interactive. The company has also made it possible to integrate Skype for Business into the application.
This application was designed to compete with the growing number of collaboration tools, like Slack, that have dominated the market. Microsoft Teams is a catch-all chat tool for the workplace, but its video conferencing option is just as compelling. Users can launch video conferences directly from their chats.
All Microsoft Teams plans include:
- Web versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- File storage and sharing
- Ability to host up to 300 users at a time
- 24/7 phone and web support
In addition, the mobile version of Microsoft Teams supports voicemail on Android and iOS.
Google Meet
Google Meet, formerly Google Hangouts, is an integrated part of Google’s G Suite productivity software. Customers can integrate Google Meet with the full range of Google products, including Gmail and Google Calendar. With Google Calendar, you can automatically create a Google Meet link and call-in number.
Meet automatically detects and displays the speaker’s video feed but gallery view is also available. Google has improved sound and video quality and noise reduction within the platform to stay competitive in the market. Anyone with a free Google Account can host a meeting for up to 60 minutes. Businesses, schools and other organizations can take advantage of paid premium features, including live streaming to up to 100,000 viewers within a domain.
All Google Meet plans include:
- Easy-to-join one-click meetings (no download necessary)
- Screenshare capabilities for specific documents, windows or the whole screen
- Ability to join from mobile, tablet or desktop
- Waiting rooms
- Virtual whiteboarding for collaboration
Anyone with a free account can host up to 100 participants and users. A paid account can host up to 250 per meeting.