A
ABC Office Suites 146
ACBA Services 146
accommodations 46
acknowledgements ii
ACT Teleconferencing 137
ADCOM 137
added
services 44
start-up costs 63
adding site to existing network 48
additional
income when starting 51
services 40
Advanced Turnkey Solutions 143
advertising 68
Affinity Videonet 137
Agel Comunicacion 145
agreements with room brokers 109
air travel 11
Alpha Lighting 138
ambiguous policies 55
American
Chamber of Commerce use 15
Express 40
arranging far site 119
Arthur C. Clarke 6
Ascend IMUX 92
asnet Technologies 147
assessing
results 124
your VC room 93
assistance, in-room 41
Altanta Visual Dynamics 144
AT&T Teleconferencing Services 8
Auckland Business Centre 147
Australia 33
author's bio iii
avoiding
embarrassment 121
room failure 53
B
bad policies 60
bandwidth improvement 83
barriers to VC growth, room survey 134
benefits of 100% outside support 36
booking fee 39, 132
bookings, false 43
Boston airport nixed 10
bridging
assistance 106
margin 44
services 109
brightening your room image 94
brochure 63
broker
agreements, survey finding 133
discounts 47
level of requests 109
services 109
signing up your room 109
brokering your room 43, 107
budgeting cash flow 74
budgets 74, 61
burden on
staff 31
management 35
site partner 27
business
center example 32
failure 35
level from room brokers 109
match 20
requirements 18
travel 11
BusinessWeek Online iii
buying vs. leasing of equipment 51, 62
C
cabinet, rolling 87
cable care 89, 103
calculating
lease cost 62
monthly income 72
time zone differences 117
call reliability 109
calls, multipoint 110
camera
about 88
height and position 95
cancellation
by repeat client 57
fees, about 43
policy 29, 34, 57, 132
capacity of public rooms 11
care of equipment 103
case examples 25
cashflow help 40, 74
catered meetings 45
caution on IMUX 91
certified checks 40
Chamber of Commerce discounts 69
changes you should track 124
charge
card 40, 133
VCR use 41
charging increments 28, 44
charging 39
Chariot Group 146
check, payment by 40
checklist, compatibility 21
choosing the right equipment 77
CLI, in list of leading makers 78
client
follow-up 123
price-sensitivity 50
queries, responding to 115
requests, confirming 118
satisfaction, confirming 123
clients, instructing 122
clients
pleasing 46, 48, 57
scaring off 55
color correction tip 84
communications charge, margin 44
company brochure 63
compatibility checklist 21
competition
doing research on 48
your 47, 73, 124
computer, cost and uses for 65
condition of your room 97
confidentiality 21
connectibility, monitor 81
connection
failures 99
reliability 109
requirements 99
connectivity pretest 43, 121
Connexus 138
considerations choosing equipment 81
Continental Videoconferencing 146
convenience of site location 49
conversion, currency 40
cooperating with other sites 69, 71, 113
cooperation by partner 22
copier, cost and use for 66
correcting sound leakage 97
cost
of overhead 51
of VC equipment 61
starting up 61, 63
court reporter example 29, 31
creative VC uses 113
credit card
acceptance, room survey 133
for international payments 40
currency conversions 40
customer service 38
D
dangerous policies 43
Daylight Savings Time 120
deals with other public sites 69
definition of public videoconferencing 9
desktop
system effect, room survey 133
system use 29
developments in videoconferencing 124
difficulty of
starting up, room survey 133
videoconferencing iv
direct
fees 39
mail
promotion 30
cost of 67
directory of VC sites 119, 133
discount
ISDN service 111
incentives 69
room pricing 47
document camera
charge 28
importance of 42, 83
dropping cost of VC, effects of 10
E
early videoconference "players"
14
electrical
connections 99
lines, noise over 101
electronic whiteboard 86
e-mail
cost and uses for 66
tips on 66
emergency help for difficult call 110
England 32
entrepreneurism and VC 16, 19
equipment
care 103
choice by public sites 78
choosing 18, 77
cost 80
key considerations 81
maintenance contract 62, 100
maintenance 28, 100
monitor stand 87
quality 49
resellers 113
saving money 85-87, 113
seller contact information 136
storing, moving 82
supplied with system 87
unnecessary 86
used 113
essential support services 107
example
business center 32
meeting 115
San Franciso 29
Tokyo 26
university 33
examples of operations 26, 29, 32, 33, 35
exchange rate 40
existing network, adding site 48
Expedite Videoconference 146
EyeNetwork 138
F
Face-To-Face Communications
about 26
contact information 139
logo 147
facilities, quality 49
fail-safe videoconferences 99
failure
avoiding 53
business 35
connection 99
false bookings, avoiding 43
far site
arranging 119, 133
making deals with 69
payment responsibility 59
reservation requests 42
fax machine, cost and use for 65
faxation of videoconferencing 3
faxing reservation materials 63
fees
list of standard items 53
non-standard hours 40, 55
setting 39
finding
site
at no cost 45
partner 22
using
Internet
directory 119
room
broker 119
first impression of your services 65
flexibility, scheduling 55, 93, 98
food & beverages 21, 45
Forget It Hotel 35
formal networks 112
Fortune 500 10
frames per second (fps), meaning 82
Frequent Flyer magazine ad 69
Frost & Sullivan survey 10
FTF Videoconference Directory 7, 119
fps meaning 82
funerals by VC 7
future myth of videoconferencing 1
G
G2J.Com 147
Genesys contact information 140
Global
Assist 139
Videocom 139
Golden Gate Reporters 143
group
system, need for 80
videoconferencing equipment 77
growth rate of videoconferencing 10
H
help, cash flow 40
higher bandwidth 83
hobbyist VC systems 77, 79
holding videoconference 122
Hong Kong 26
hotel
benefits 46
example 26, 35
tax 40
VC services 15, 19
HQ Business Centers 15, 111
human
errors, dealing with 105
need for VC 5
I
ideal videoconference room 94
image
of your system/room 80
problems, correcting 94
IMCAA contact information 141
impression your room gives 97
improving your services 124
IMUX
about 83, 90
built-in 92
should you wait? 92
increased
VC use after 9/11 6, 134
videoconferencing 6
incremental charges 44
indirect revenues 39, 42
informal networks 112
information sheets, fax out 63
inquiries 35
in-room assistance, about 41
instructing clients 122
INS Video Services 147
internal vs. external support 35
international payments 40
Internet directories room survey 133, 134
interviewee clients 118
ISDN
about 90, 101
cable safeguard 101
confirming with far site 121
discount, room survey 134
lines 64
problems, room survey 134
terminal adapter, about 90
IVC Communications 146
K
keeping records 123
key issues when starting up 76
kilobits per second, meaning 82
Kinko's
and Regus 32
early player 15
network example 111
L
last-minute cancellations 57
layout examples of room 96
leading
room brokers 108
VC systems, list of makers 78
leasing vs. buying equipment 62
legal
services 15,29, 31
use 7
Lidcombe College 147
lighting 94
Lille, France 15
line noise 99
list of other fees 53
location 22
locator button 86
logos of public sites 146, 147
London example 32
long-term payment contracts 59
lowering costs of VC 3
M
maintenance
contract
is it needed? 28
room survey 133
when it is needed
100
"musts" 103
of equipment 100
management
burden 31
cooperation, by partner 22
manager, technical understanding 100
manuals, what to learn 89
map to site 63, 118
margin
for bridging service 44
for communications fee 44
MasterCard 40
maximum reservation time 57
MCI 111
meeting
length, average 72
room modifications 27
suggestions for holding 122
Melbourne, Australia example 33
MetroTel Communication 146
microphone, room 86
Millenium Conferencing Systems 147
minimum
reservation time 56
scheduled time 37
system cost 80
miscellaneous services 113
MIVNET
about 112
contact information 139
modifications to meeting room 27
Monash University 33
money and videoconferencing 39
monitor
choice 80
making screen seem larger 85
position 95
size 85
stand 87
motion problems 82
Motorola survey 10
moving equipment, IMUX caution 91
multi-line/channel capability 82, 124
multiple rooms at same site 98
multipoint
calls 110
margin 44
reservations 42
N
networks 111
new business, starting 17
New York Institute of Technology 147
news releases 68
newspaper advertising 68
Nexus Videoconferencing 146
Nicholas Negroponte 6
nighttime use 22
Nißleck Communications Systems 146
9/11 effects, public room survey 6, 134
noise
in electrical lines 101
interference 99
non-payment 54, 74, 133
non-standard hour fees 40, 55
number of rooms 11
O
Oasis IMUX 92
Ohio University Telecommunications Center 147
Omaha Videoconferencing 146
open house 69
operating equipment, what to learn 89
operation manuals 89
operator, technical understanding 102
option, 30fps 85
optional equipment 41
Orfaela, Paul, Kinko's founder 15
Osaka 26
other fees 53
outlook for
airline industry 13
hotel industry 13
outside
help for VC service 17
partner 22
support 35
overhead costs 51
P
Pan-American Life 146
Park Hyatt Tokyo 26
parking 21
partner, finding 22
partnering, when it makes sense 17
partnership proposal 23
payment
contracts 59
in advance 58
international 40
responsibility toward other rooms 59,
75
risk 74
peripheral equipment 83
Philadelphia example 31
phone lines 64
PictureTel
contact information 140
in leading maker list 78
Users Group contact information 141
pitfalls of 100% outside support 36
plasma display
intent, room survey 134
use of 86
pleasing clients
avoiding embarrassment 121
be sure to ask 48, 123
choice of equipment 78
complementary services 69
first impressions 65
flexible policies 53
free taxi service 69
following up 123
last-minute cancellations 57
policies and practices 125
unused reserved time 58
polices
arranging far site 59
dangerous 43
setting 53
stating clearly 54
typical 55
unused reserved time 58
when stricter may be needed 54
Polycom
contact information 140
in list of leading makers 78
Users Group contact information 142
pooled advertising 69, 71
position of
camera 95
monitor 95
positioning participants 122
potential
new VC rooms iv
public site rooms 9
power
building 99
-hungry equipment 99
requirements 93
prepayment
policy 132
requirement 30, 58
pretest
holding 121
problem with 36
requirement 32
worried clients 104
price
barrier of VC equipment 61
-sensitivity of clients 50
wars 47
printed
directories of public sites 133
materials 63
printer, cost and need for 65
privacy 49, 93, 97
problems with
desktop systems 79
sound 43, 97
problem-solving, use of bridge 110
professionalism vi
programming IMUX phone numbers 91
projector, use of 81
promoting your site 47, 67
promotional
ideas, miscellaneous 69
materials 63
proposal 23, 26
Proximity 140, 147
public
image of your services 80
site
equipment by maker
78
meaning 39
survey 25
Q
quality of facilities 49
questions when setting/revising rates 49
R
radio frequency interference, avoiding
102
rates
setting/revising 47, 49, 51
worldwide by region 132
Realcom 147
recommending far sites to your client 120
record keeping 117, 123
registration form 63
Regus network 15, 32, 111
reliability 19, 31, 35, 99, 109
remote control unit 88
requirements for
successful connection 99
VC business 18, 20
researching the competition 48
reservation
fee
other room 39
own room 43
survey result 43
system 116
time
maximum 57
minimum 56
reservations, handling 115
reserved time, unused 58
reserving far site 42
responding to client queries 115
responsibility for
equipment care 103
payment to other rooms 75
results, assessing 124
revising
policies 55
rates 49
RFI
avoiding 102
fix for PictureTel owners 86
problems 100
risk of
non-payment 74
partnership 22
rolling cabinet 87
room
broker, about 119
brokering 43
room brokers
about 107
leading 108
signing up your room 109
survey results 109
first impression 97
layout
examples
95
saving
money 96
microphone 86
policies, weird 60
privacy 49
quality 49
rates 132
reservation fee 43
setting up 93
size 95
sound proofing 97
sunlight 94
temperature 93
S
San Francisco example 29
saving money
discount ISDN 111
equipment 62, 86, 113
long-distance calls 64
record-keeping system 117
room layout 96
scan converters 86
scaring off clients 55
schedule, starting up 75
scheduling
board
cost and use of 67
example 116
fee 39
scheduling flexibility 55, 93
screen size 81
Sept. 11, effects of 6, 134
service
contract
need for 62, 100
suppliers contact
information 136
services
added 40, 44
bridging 109
improving 124
miscellaneous 113
24-hour 55
setting
policies 53, 55
rates 47, 49, 51
up videoconference room 93
signing up with room brokers 109
site
arrangement policies 59
directory 42, 119
logos 146, 147
networks, about 111
owner partner 22
partner supervisory burden 27
reservation materials vi
six-channel capability, room survey 134
size of
room 95
table 96
Sony
Electronics contact information 141
in list of leading makers 78
sound
leakage 85, 97
problems 43, 97
proofing the VC room 97
speed of transmission 81
Sprint
about 111
contact information 140
staff burden 31
standby assistance 37, 60
starting
new business 17
up, time of year 74
start-up
costs 61, 63
key issues 76
schedule 75
timeline 76
static over communications lines 101
storing equipment 82
Stratatech Communications 147
Stratosphere Multimedia Corporation 146
stricter policies 54
sunlight inside room 94
supervisory burden 31
support
services 44, 107
internal vs. external 35
survey
by Motorola 10
of public sites 25, 132
results
barriers to VC growth
134
maintenance contract
28
rates around the world
131
room brokers 109
Synergon Information Systems 70
system compatibility 121
T
table size, quality 96
taking reservations 115
Talk & Vision 147
Tandberg
contact information 141
in list of leading makers 78
tax 40
technical understanding 23, 100
teleconferencing 1
Tele-Learning Consortium 146
temperature of room 93
terminal adapter 90
testing 43, 121
30fps option 85
time zone calculation 117
timeline for service start-up 76
TM Live 147
training staff 18, 100, 102
transmission speed 81
troubleshooting checklist 121
24-hour services 55
typical meeting
length 72
example 115
videoconference rates 11
U
U.S.
Department of Transportation 11
number of VC rooms 13
potential 11
university example 33
unnecessary equipment 86
unused reserved time 58
used equipment 113
uses of videoconferencing 7
V
value-added service 40, 42
VC as main business, room survey 134
VC4Less 113, 141
VCR
assistance 41
charge 41
Viacom 111
video
furniture 141
image smudging 82
problems, correcting 94
projector 84
recording 41
VideoBridge International 145
videocassette recorder 83
videoconference
developments to be tracked 124
directory 42
events 39
holding 122
meaning 2
partnerships v
pretests 100
proposal 24
rates, typical 11
reliability 99
room 93
system makers 78
users 27
videoscreens 3
Videre 146
Visa card 40
V-SPAN 111, 142
VTel
contact information 142
in list of leading makers 78
W
web page
examples 143
promotion 30, 71
Wisconsin State Tel. Association 147
WorldClock 120
WorldCom contact information 142
Worldwide ISDN 147
Worldwide Videoconferencing 146