Is the Facebook Portal about to disrupt Cisco and Polycom’s hardware business?
Over the last 15 years I have believed that one day Video Conferencing would change how business was done. Sadly it took a global pandemic for this to finally happen. Please don’t misunderstand me, if I could have every important meeting with a customer or a team member in person I absolutely would … This though, is not practical, and if we are honest, not the right thing for the sustainability of our planet!
Over the last 15 years I have experimented with everything from Polycom ISDN based systems in the mid 2000s to state-of-the-art Cisco room systems in the last 5 years.
Our Christmas Day this year was saved by Facebook’s Portal. With my wife and I in Germany, my parents and sisters all in their own homes in the UK, we were all connected via Facebook Portals at times throughout the day. Two locations using Portal TVs (~€150 each), and two locations using Portal Plus (~€200 each). These are standalone devices in family rooms … no computer required.
In terms of usability and video/sound quality, these units perform at the same level as professional equipment from Cisco/Polycom. A €200 endpoint challenging traditional €2,000 endpoints!! At €200 per endpoint, this becomes the default successor to the work desk phone that was laid to rest in its usefulness 10 years ago. For this comparatively small investment the Portal becomes part of everyone’s standard work set up (both at home and in the office), allowing you to take part in video conferences via Zoom or WebEX!
I’m happy to hear a counterpoint to my thoughts ... I see this though as very exciting and for me, inevitable!
James Willford - January 2021