You’re a Telecommunications Systems professional. How do you choose the best video conferencing service?

1 Quality and reliability

The first thing you want from a video conferencing service is high-quality audio and video, without delays, glitches, or interruptions. Poor quality can affect your communication, productivity, and professionalism. To ensure quality and reliability, you need to check the bandwidth requirements, the codec support, the network performance, and the backup options of the service. You also need to test the service in different scenarios, such as low-light, noisy, or crowded environments, and with different devices and platforms.

3 Features and functionality

The third thing you want from a video conferencing service is features and functionality, depending on your specific needs and preferences. You may want to have advanced options, such as screen sharing, file sharing, chat, polls, whiteboard, annotations, breakout rooms, live captions, transcripts, or integrations with other tools. To ensure features and functionality, you need to check the availability, the compatibility, the usability, and the scalability of the service. You also need to compare the features and functionality of different plans and packages of the service.

4 Cost and value

The fourth thing you want from a video conferencing service is cost and value, based on your budget and expectations. You don't want to pay more than you need, or less than you deserve. You want to get the best value for your money, without compromising on quality, security, or features. To ensure cost and value, you need to check the pricing models, the billing cycles, the discounts, the trials, and the reviews of the service. You also need to calculate the total cost of ownership, including the hardware, software, and maintenance costs.

5 Support and service

The fifth thing you want from a video conferencing service is support and service, in case you encounter any issues or challenges. You don't want to be left alone, or frustrated, or dissatisfied with the service. You want to get prompt, professional, and friendly assistance, whenever you need it. To ensure support and service, you need to check the contact options, the response time, the resolution rate, and the customer satisfaction of the service. You also need to access the resources, such as the documentation, the tutorials, the FAQs, and the forums of the service.

6 Evaluation and feedback

The sixth thing you want from a video conferencing service is evaluation and feedback, to measure and improve your performance and experience. You don't want to settle for a mediocre, or outdated, or irrelevant service. You want to keep track of your progress, your challenges, and your opportunities, and make adjustments accordingly. To ensure evaluation and feedback, you need to check the analytics, the reports, the surveys, and the testimonials of the service. You also need to solicit and provide feedback, both internally and externally, and act on it.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?