Web Conferencing Software Solutions-converted

1. The Best 8 Free and Open Source Web Conferencing SoftwareSolutions When 7 out of 10 online meetings end terribly, the blame is always on theinefficient back-end support system. There is a clear-cut demand for powerful web conferencing software solutions. In this age of electronic communications, the “nice to e-meet you” concept has brought a revolutionary change in the communication and collaboration aspect. The best web conferencing softwareand applications facilitate easy communication at any time and anywhere. It minimizes the distance, time, and cost that are otherwise incurred for a meeting.

2. In this article, we will focus on helping you understand the market growth of web conferencing software, its key importance, and also discuss some of the best free and open source web conferencing software solutions available today in themarket. Let us start with the evolution of web conferencingsolutions. Evolution of Conferencing andCollaboration AT&T introduced the first video call in 1968 at the World’s Fair in New York. It has been presented as a commercial solution involving PicturePhonetechnology. Participants were made to sit down and communicate with the person on theother end for 10 minutes at a time through a‘video.’ In 1968, Stanford Research Institute introduced the technology of multi-user video conferencing. In 1976, the first official video conferencing was establishedbetween 2 nations, i.e., Tokyo and Alaska, by Nippon Telegraph and TelephoneCompany. Then, Compression Labs launched its first commercial video conferencing plan in 1982 for$1,000/hour. IBM introduced the best video conferencing software – PicTel in 1991. In the late 1990s, video conferencing was adopted widely with the introduction of low-cost& high-capacity broadband and powerful processors &compression. The year 2003 witnessed significant achievement in conferencing technology when the service providers have made high-speed internet widely available at low cost.The price of video capturing and displays decreased, making this facility easily accessible to mostusers. Furthermore, Lifesize introduced the first HD video conferencing system in 2005, and from 2010, the HD video conferencing spread among the professionals increasingly. From 2013 onwards, the app, cloud, and web-based video conferencing open source programs came in prevalence after the intuitive simplicity of the smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.

3. Web ConferencingToday Currently, mobile technologies are growing exponentially. The surging demand for conferencing and communication solutions among the business sectorsis immensely driving the market forces. The global market size of web conferencing software is expected to reach USD 16.60 billion by 2025. It will be a good rise at a CAGR of 9.5% compared to the previous quarter’sresults. The new generation of communication and web conferencing solution is highly embraced and extended by digitization and visual data-sharing technologies.These technologies contribute significantly to the decline in the cost of the best video conferencing for small business leading to its large-scale deploymentacross different organizations that were not earlier possible due to higher installation cost. This demand has eventually resulted in the development of high-end collaboration applications like Skype Oovoo, etc. These applications form an essential part ofthe collaborating workspaces and are projected to boost the market growth overthe next few years. The limited bandwidth and easy access has made them popularwith businessusers. Application Program Interfaces (APIs) are becoming a huge hit among marketers. They have enabled the organizations to collaborate many platforms by providing a multi-channel experience to the customers. APIs have allowed users to accesstheir systems and work efficiently from remote locations as well. As the APIsare integrated to both on-premise and cloud-based applications, they facilitate a seamless communication process among the systems as well as theemployees. The trend of deploying the voice-based virtual team members is increasing among the organizations to facilitate their employees in daily meetings and reporting.It involves an important part of their professional efforts to ensure them of having a comfortableworkspace.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also become an integral part of their virtual communication process involving the deployment of innovative team collaboration software. Technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are being increasingly used to develop the best video conferencingsoftware. • The Smart Virtual Personal Assistants (SVPAs) and AI bots are now immensely preferred by the organizations. They have emerged as a crucial tool to automate a variety of tasks and improve workplace collaboration. Hence, it is positively working to favour market growth. For web conferencing and team collaborations, organizations are already using bots like scheduling meetings and takingnotes. • Enhanced APIs and AR/VR technologies are adding more stars tothem. • These enhancements have brought-in several add-on powers to the web conferencing solutions available today in themarket. • Key Finding from a Recent Research about Web Conferencing Software • The cloud-based software programs are expected to witnesssubstantial growth over the forecast period 2019 to2025. • The percentage of CAGR for the conferencing software segment overthe • forecast period is expected to rise. Many corporate-giants areexperiencing • increased deployment of conferencing solutions such as Cisco Jabber, Adobe Connect, Cisco Webex Meetings, and some of the best open source web conferencing tools that are ultimately supplementing the segmentgrowth. • The healthcare sector is expected to secure the highest CAGR percentage during the forecast period. The growth feature attributes significantlyto • increase the need for close doctor-patient engagement and to share real-time information with thepatients. • The key market players like IBM, Google Open Meetings, ClickMeeting, • Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Citrix Systems, Inc., and Cisco Systems, Inc that have been deploying the network capabilities are seeing better acceptance through the augmenting market growth, and so they are staying ahead in the market. • So, it is well-evident from the findings discussed above that the demand for best video conferencing for small business is rising, and the majority of businessesare taking advantage of this technology for their absolute collaborationrequirements.

5. Key Features of Video or WebConferencing Video or web conferencing is enabled by an integrated software program that ensures you have a rich and quality experience. It lets you connect to different users. Here are some critical features that are related to web-based and video conferencing techniques. Let’s have a look atthem: How Web Conferencing SoftwareWorks? Web conferencing allows an unlimited number of participants to collaborate and exchange ideas. These conferences are usually organized using Internet browsers. Virtual classes and training rooms are an excellent example of such kinds of meetings. The virtual class application is specially designed to hold webinars, web conferences, andother

6. Internet-based transmissions. Now, let us consider how Web Conferencing actually proceeds. The organizer of the meeting sends the notifications or invitations about the conference to the participants of the meeting along with the guidelines forthe installation or signing up of theapplication. There is always a plan or program behind every web conference. That program should be sent to all the participants beforehand. It helps in making them aware of the issues to be discussed in the meeting and their orderof discussion. The conference begins with the acceptance of the invitation. The video pops up, and the option of texting through a chat-box is also made available forthe participants. Key Advantages Of Using The Best Web ConferencingSoftware • A web conference lets youto: • Have real-timecollaboration. • Plan and invite other participants for themeeting. • Get ‘a share-the-screen’ facility with all theparticipants. • Have a whiteboard for visual demonstration as well as analyzing theideas. • Display web presentations. • Co-browse web pages and different websites. • Provide annotations and chat with otherparticipants. • Get the best of VoIP connection and videoconnection. • Record the conference. • Enjoy useful resources or tools for accumulatingfeedbacks. • Integration and Collaboration of the Web ConferenceSoftware Making collaboration easier among the attendees is the primary purpose ofa conference call. It counts the ‘real-time’ co-operation andinteraction. Most premium or free web conferencing software programs offer audio and video calling. You have to select a plan based on how you and your company collaborate

7. best and achieve the optimum result. Let us check how best you can integratethis facility to the best of your professionalusage. • Although a face-to-face meeting is expensive, it is highly useful to have as it brings optimumoutcomes. • Training and lectures typically work well with audio/visual conferencing. • Audio conferencing provides you with an excellent middle ground for training and collaborative meetings and is economical aswell. Web Conference Software Provides Ease of UseFacility Software technologies always come with significant prominence. Web conferencing service providers understand the importance of time for businesses. Hence, open source web conferencing software is invented for many reasons, i.e., to bringan ultimate technological solution to your meeting’s needs, to get you the freedom of modifying the software as per your requirements, to minimize expenses, and to provide ease of use. Here are certain services that will help make your conference calleasier:

8. Usually, conference calling service providers offer free and public-access tutorials to the visitors on their website. So before buying it finally, you should investigate about their service. The conference moderator holds the access of an online controlpanel, including the participant list. One can expel, mute, or invite a new personwith aclick. The conference callers assign the star commands for the functionslike locking or muting the conference or raising ahand. It is always best to choose a web conferencing software that assures the 24/7 support facility. Technical difficulties should not let you postpone your meetings, and thus, selecting the most appropriate system isadvisable. An ‘Operator’s Assistance’ is helpful to make sure everything is going smoothly during the meeting. The meeting operator schedules theconference, greets all attendees, handles the QA session, and brings you aworry-free meeting at theend. Free and Open Source Web Conferencing Software for a Happier VideoExperience Open Source web conferencing tools are much preferred by businesses these days as they can easily get modified to fit the client’s needs. Though they are freely-distributed, open source software programs stillrequire maintenance, configuration, and ongoing support. These software packages come with comprehensive cost benefits, freedom, security, and accountability that are generally unsurpassed by the proprietary software solutions. Free and Open Source Web Conferencing Software possesses long term viability and always remains on the cutting-edge of thetechnology. Other than the proprietary systems, open-source web conference software systems enable enhancements as well as extensions from a developer who is familiar with the source code. It saves the organization from ‘vendor lock-in’ by assuring long-term viability. These video conferencing solutions for small businesses are continuously reviewed and supported by a community of developers. At every interval, new features are added and contributed back to the community. If any security of technical loopholeis

9. detected, it goes through quick fixation. Thus, it makes them more reliableeven without requiring them to payadditionally. The Global Web Conferencing Market estimates reaching $20 billion in 2024 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14%. The Real-TimeCommunication (RTC) systems demand that APIs should be open source, standardized, free, built into the web browsers and much more efficient than the currenttechnologies. Let us check out some of the best free and open source web conferencing software solutions that are successfully driving out themarket. All programs included in this video conferencing software list have some unique features, and they are a bit different to one another on the basis of their designand usability. But you can compare this through the comparison chart givenbelow.

10. Now, let us discuss in detail what these software packages hold for theinstitutions, businesses, and organizations and what their features are. 1.BigBlueButton • BigBlueButton is a leading free and open source web conferencing software system that supports the online learning facility. This top conferencing software is based on the GNU/Linux operating system and runs on Ubuntu 16.04. The stableversion • 2.0-RC11 of this Java-based software program holds a software license as perLGPL. • Highlights: • BigBlueButton software offers tailor-made tools for teachers to share their slides, audio, video, chat, and desktop withstudents. • Live whiteboard is made available for presenters and groups with the ability to zoom, highlight, draw, and write onpresentations. • No limit is set to share the number of webcams in a session. The limitationis just in terms ofbandwidth. • The software works for the benefit of schools and aims at meeting WCAG2.0 accessibility standards.

11. (Source:BigBlueButton) 2.OpenMeetings • OpenMeetings, the open source software, is used for online training, presenting, web conferencing, document editing, user desktop sharing, and collaborative whiteboard drawing. Its Red5 media server-based software works on HTML5 and Flash.This • MySQL supported, and Apache License 2.0 based software got its stableversion 4.07, and is available in 31languages. • Highlights: • OpenMeetings software has been downloaded over 250,000times. • It facilitates four options for audio/video functions: audio + video,audio-only, video-only, andpicture-only. • It supports recording meeting sessions and downloading them asAVI/FLV files. • It provides a screen sharing facility as well. • Advanced file explorer and the moderating system facilitate in all meeting rooms. • Multi-Whiteboard and Chat facility is available with a full range of tools and documentsinside.

12. (Source:OpenMeetings) 3. ezTalks CloudMeeting • The cloud-based video conferencing system ezTalks offers small & medium-sized businesses and large enterprises an exceptional platform to communicate as wellas collaborate online. This best video conferencing software support Windows,Mac, • Android, iPhone, and iPad applications. It facilitates HD video conferencingwith different plans and packages. • Highlights: • The ezTalks software provides free software hosting up to 100participants. • The software incorporates HD video and audio, an innovative whiteboard, and a cross-platform chatting system. • It supports playback, recording, and scheduling features to allow the users to share video and audio recordings and send them reminders about upcoming meetings orwebinars.

13. An unlimited number of live webinars, multiple presenters, webinar cloud storage, custom registration page, and screen sharing with co-annotationare some additional features the software supports.

14. (Source: ezTalks CloudMeeting) 4.Jitsi • The multi-platform video conferencing platform – Jitsi is 100% free and opensource. It supports web platforms, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Android platforms and hosts Jitsi Meet and Jitsi Videobridge as its most aspiring video conferencing projects. • Highlights: • Jitsi software supports attended and blind call transfer facility. • Auto re-connect, auto-answer, auto-forward call recording facility makes it very usable software. • The software provides instant messaging encryption with OTR, Directmedia connection establishment with the ICE protocol, File transfer forXMPP, • AIM/ICQ, Windows Live Messenger, YIM, IPv6 support for SIP and XMPP, and many other features. • Jitsi Videobridge provides group videosupport. (Source:Jitsi)

15. 5.Mconf • Mconf is an open-source and free web conferencing system that is an advanced and more customized version of BigBlueButton. It holds GNU’s General PublicLicensing • Mconf-Live, Mconf-Web, and Mconf-Mobile are the three most crucial components of the Mconf project. • Highlights: • Mconf supports a document sharing procedure where users are free to share any document materials, and any member of the community can access thesedocuments. • The users can also tag and version the documents so that one caneasily search for them later on. • The software lets you create an account, join a meeting, share your meeting session, customize the things, and access your meetingroom. • The software enables the users to download the presentation and copy the chat to theclipboard. • Here, users can share multiplecameras.

16. (Source:Mconf) 6.Jami • Jami is a free and open source web conferencing and instant messaging software • for individuals as well as the industries. This universal communication tool workson Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, iOS, and Android platforms and holds GNU General PublicLicense. • Highlights: • Jami software is SIP-compatible software with OpenDHT support. • It facilitates instant messaging and an unlimited number ofcalls. • It provides multi-channel audio support, ‘Flac’ and ‘Vorbis’ ringtone support, multiple audio codecs support, TLS and SRTP support, and DTMF support. • Locale settings are available in the following languages: French,English, Russian, German, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, andVietnamese. • It offers end-to-end encryption used for chat, video, and voicefacility.

17. (Source:Jami) 7.Linphone: • GNU (GPL) General Public Licensed - Linphone is a free voice over IPsoftphone • widely used for Voice over IP, instant messaging, video conferencing. Initially, Linux was the base for developing Linphone, but now it also works on MicrosoftWindows, Mac OS X, and mobile phones running Windows Phone, iOS, orAndroid. • Highlights: • Linphone software offers an easy-to-use graphicalinterface. • It provides advanced calling features like HD video calls with video preview, audio conference call, and call transfer & multi-call management (pauseand resume). • The software facilitates enhanced audio and video quality. • It provides an enhanced instant messagingexperience.

18. It assures absolute security with audio and video encryption andend-to-end encryption formessaging. (Source:Linphone) 8.Riot: • Riot is an open source and free instant messaging and a top conferencing software relying on Matrix protocol. It is licensed as per Apache License 2.0 and is available as a web application and desktop apps for all the major operating systems and asa mobile app for Android and iOS. • Highlights: • Riot software's design associates with the Matrix React SDK, i.e.,a • React-based software development kit for easy and secure development of the Matrixclient. • It facilitates custom communication that is more than just a simplechat. • It lets the users configure servers quickly, and they are extendablewith advanced features like anti-virus and custombehaviour.

19. The ability of the software of bridging up other communications into theapp through the Matrix, such as IRC, Slack, and Telegram, etc., isexcellent. • The Google Play Downloads record of the app is over 100,000times. (Source: Riot) ClickMeeting, Join.me, Gotowebinar, Bigmarker, HighFive, MyOwnConference, UberConferences, Dead Simple Screen Sharing, and Readytalkare other popular video and web conferencing software programs that are highly attracting the web and video users for their personal and business usage. You can also go throughthe complete video conferencing software listfor more options. Users are requiredto investigate about the best software program and utilize it to meet theirpurpose. If you are not satisfied with the free software options you have, you try the commercial ones for more advanced features and usability. Zoom is one of the most recognized commercial software solutions that meet a business’s web conferencing requirements to the best. Now, let us explore more aboutit. Zoom

20. Founded in 2011, Zoom is one of the most sought after video conferencing portals that focuses on flawless video, clear audio, and instant sharing. Here you get the options for both i.e., to join a meeting or host a meeting with video on/off andscreen sharing facility. Zoom conferencing solutions include HD video, collaboration for chats, meetings, and videowebinars. • (Source: Zoom) • Features: • Zoom software system is capable of hosting video conferences with upto 100 videoparticipants. • It is a cloud-hosted and open-API based software that supportsMac, web-based, Android, and iPhone/iPaddevices. • The stable version 2.5 of the software is available for free with basic features, and the premium version can be obtained with some extendedfeatures. • The software allows the developers to create their own stack solutions using voice, video, and screen sharingAPIs. • 323/SIP Connectors allows the users to communicate with theirtablets, mobiles, and desktop devices with a single touch.

21. If you are already using one from the software listed above, you can freely shareyour reviewshere. Conclusion: With the arrival of 2021, video traffic will lock around 82% of the total internet traffic. It is the time of live video sharing, and it will soon account for 13% of the entirevideo traffic. The emergence of web conference technology and its usage has been enablingthe most uncomplicated production of webinars and meetings. Being online, they are much easier to attend as well. Network, speed, and browsers are important players of thisgame. The companies these days are highly inclined towards hosting webinars fortraining or sales. A new webinar is being hosted online every 1.5 weeks. Focus and engagement have become the most centric part, and so an average of 25 to30 minutes webinar is proved to be sufficient as per recentresearch. A significant change is also quite vigilant in the arena of job interviews. 66% of job candidates have opted for the video-enabled-interviews instead of wasting theirtime to visit the interviewer personally to attend the interview meetings. Web conferencing has proved to make a conference call more interactive and added an option to enhance productivity. Live meetings and live training sessions with a PowerPoint presentation, an Excel spreadsheet, or something else has transformed with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) principles. Highly sophisticated 4K resolution cameras, machine vision, virtual assistance, and facial recognition increase the effectiveness of meetings today. AI enables us to determine the optimum length of the meeting session, the ideal number of meeting participants, and the best time of the day to schedule the meeting to improve productivity. Companies have now become more interested in hiring remote teams than hiring remote employees. Leveraging more on web-conferencing software solutions is saving cost, time, and resource. Virtual chat tools and video conferencingsolutions

22. for small businesses have made it easier for remote workers to feel as a part ofthe team. The meeting is ideally organized to reach an outcome, and it better proves through what an expert once said, “With cuts to budgets, every trip needs to be justifiable. This time, it is a video conference: safe andbudgeted”.