Business Idea : Free to Builder

[Ozzy]

From what I can tell, all video conferencing platforms (Zoom, etc) have VoIP / H.323 access details.
So I'm thinking whoever creates a gateway platform that allows people on Zoom to have video meetings with people on Webex or Teams, etc, and vice versa could be onto something.
Charge access to the platform providers, like an exchange, and could drive innovation on the platforms who could be complacent in having their customers locked in.

 

[UkAppCoder]

Hmmm ... I don't know about this. Now that lockdowns are a thing of the past (hopefully), and that staff will now be required to work in the office instead of working from home, don't you think that demand for these video conferencing applications will drop off?

I hate the damned things - I'm no good at all in front of a camera. I would prefer people to see my ugly mug live in the flesh rather than on some screen where I don't know whether I look better or worse than I really am! LOL!

However, I did score a contract from Germany a few months ago - something I don't think I would have achieved without Teams.

Anyway, your idea is related to a thread I posted to earlier today - https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/developing-software-apis.417515/ . The OP seems to be looking for bridging software related to HR firms.

 

[Ozzy]

and that staff will now be required to work in the office instead of working from home

That’s the thing, apart from manufacturing I don’t know any office based businesses that are requiring their staff to return to the office. None, not a single one. Every company I know that is office based is either exiting their office lease and going entirely home based or moving to hybrid working.
When it comes to meetings 19 out of 20 of the meetings I have are now video conference, it’s pretty rare to be meeting in person now from my experience. Even the recruitment interviews I’ve done this week have been by video call. I don’t see it ever returning to the way things were 3 years ago.

 

[fisicx]

I agree that online meetings are here to stay. But building a app that lets you have a conference with one on zoom, one use teams and one on Skype is unlikely to ever happen. MS don’t want you to use anything other than teams. They aren’t going to give to an api so you can connect teams to zoom.

 

[Newchodge]

Even if, (and that's a big if) everyone returns to office working there will still be a requirement for online meetings - a lot of meetings involve people from different locations and online is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than travel; meetings of a lot of people when finding a suitable location is difficult/expensive; even the fact that many people don't like online meetings helps - it is less likely that the meeting will drag on with inconsequential chat.

Rather than find a way to mix platforms, it is more likely that a preferred provider will dominate. And that is likely to be Teams.

 

[cjd]

The platforms don't allow interworking sadly. Teams allow other to provide voice (basic telephony) integration through specific (chargeable) gateways, Zoom is a totally standalone service.

 

[WaveJumper]

I think @Ozzy is probably right the scene has shifted now I have spoken with three different companies this week and even one of my trading platform providers all working form home and no plans to return to the office. Time have certainly changed for a lot of people.

I am not a techie but agree with @Newchodge companies / people I think will stick to their preferred platforms not sure they would want to mix and match

 

[WaveJumper]

Just one last thought on the platform "issues" having been party to some on line meetings with NHS groups during covid period the amount of people having issues with the functions ie sound, microphone etc could drive you to drink. Again not a techie but a lot was blamed on people having used different programmes / software and this was upsetting their computer settings, ok if your PC / smart phone savvy but I get the feeling some people on these conference calls are lucky if they can turn their machines on

Sorry thats a bit harsh but you get my drift

 

[Newchodge]

Just one last thought on the platform "issues" having been party to some on line meetings with NHS groups during covid period the amount of people having issues with the functions ie sound, microphone etc could drive you to drink. Again not a techie but a lot was blamed on people having used different programmes / software and this was upsetting their computer settings, ok if your PC / smart phone savvy but I get the feeling some people on these conference calls are lucky if they can turn their machines on

Sorry thats a bit harsh but you get my drift

Every platform should include some kind of alarm if a contributor speaks without unmuting themselves.

 

[fisicx]

Only problem is teams is the worst of all the options. With zoom you don’t need an account. With teams you have to sign up with MS and for some meetings get the MS authorisation app. All good if the meetings are internal. But if you have to talk to with someone not using teams it’s a complete pain.

 

[UkAppCoder]

I can appreciate many of the points above regarding demand for video conferencing, and I can imagine that there would also be some demand in the mass market too.

Most of my work-related communication is necessarily textual, which is probably why I haven't been able to appreciate the advantages of video conferencing.

Okay, I suppose I'll just have to sort out my skintone matching and makeup colour co-ordinations!

Regarding the exchange hub, if you could get most vendors to subscribe, and their combined market share constitutes the majority of the market, then the rest might have to join in so that they can remain in the market. But then, couldn't they just get together and collaborate on building an exchange of their own? I don't know about all this because I'm not really a business person. But, as fisicx has already alluded to, I can imagine it would be quite a struggle to get most of the vendors to allow access to their respective codebases via some kind of API.

 

[UkAppCoder]

With teams you have to sign up with MS ...

This was very painful for me, but the people who wanted to interview me use Teams. I downloaded the Linux version and installed it, but I couldn't get it to work.

Then I installed the app from Google Play on to my tablet (a 2018 Samsung). As I remember, this was quite straightforward.

Also, to MS's credit, I had an interview which lasted for 1 hour and 40 minutes during which the software performed perfectly!

 

[UkAppCoder]

Every platform should include some kind of alarm if a contributor speaks without unmuting themselves.

Yes. This is what happened to me on my one and only Teams session!

Here's another idea for the news channels (especially GBNews). When their video locks up, the software should automatically kick into 'photograph mode', where a static photo replaces the video and the session continues with audio only.

I think this would be possible because, as I understand it, audio data is much more reliable than video data when being transferred over the network.

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Only problem is teams is the worst of all the options. With zoom you don’t need an account. With teams you have to sign up with MS and for some meetings get the MS authorisation app. All good if the meetings are internal. But if you have to talk to with someone not using teams it’s a complete pain.

You don't need an account on Teams, unless you are the one creating the invite - All guests need to do is click the link on the invite and they can join the meeting in the Chrome Browser.

As for the OP - I would think most of the businesses that have been using video meeting, now have access to Zoom and Teams. No real hassle to me - I just use whichever one is needed at the time.

 

[fisicx]

You don't need an account on Teams, unless you are the one creating the invite - All guests need to do is click the link on the invite and they can join the meeting in the Chrome Browser.

Wouldn’t let me join the meeting without creating an account. If you are already an MS Office user it all works. But I use a Mac and the brave browser and it doesn’t connect.

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Wouldn’t let me join the meeting without creating an account. If you are already an MS Office user it all works. But I use a Mac and the brave browser and it doesn’t connect.

Works on Chrome and Edge Browser - just a click and sign in as guest and your in the meeting.

I assume brave browser is not supported.

 

[fisicx]

Works on Chrome and Edge Browser - just a click and sign in as guest and your in the meeting.

I assume brave browser is not supported.

Do you have a MS Account? I don’t. And I use a Mac. I’m sure for many it does work but it’s not as ubiquitous as zoom. On my Mac it kept telling me to download the app and from there to create an account.

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Do you have a MS Account? I don’t. And I use a Mac. I’m sure for many it does work but it’s not as ubiquitous as zoom. On my Mac it kept telling me to download the app and from there to create an account.

Have never been part of the Apple ecosystem, so don't have a clue - Can you use the Chrome browser on the Mac? If you can, then you don't need to register or sign in to join a Teams meeting you have been invited to.

 

[fisicx]

You can install Chrome but as it's an even worst bit of spyware than Edge I don't want to use it.

My point is that zoom will work on anything. I've had a meeting using my iPhone with someone in the USA using a linux computer. It all just worked.

 

[IanSuth]

I demo our product over zoom or teams (and even google meets once) now - I can just screen share to show what I am doing in the dashboard and also show what their applicants would see when doing the assessment (it is an assessment tool for use during call centre recruitment), the old school way of doing it would be either time limited demo accounts and a lot of time on the phone or a face to face visit with it running on a laptop with the attendant travel each way.

I tell prospects they can invite me to the meeting on whichever system they prefer - that makes them feel more in control of what is happening (like recording) and who is attending which builds trust.