China Video Tools for U.S. Help Spurs Spy Anxiety

A manufacturer accused of being tied to the Chinese government has found a way to sell to U.S. agencies in an arrangement that’s raising concerns from security officials and at least one lawmaker about spying.

ZTE Corp. (000063), China’s No. 2 phone-equipment maker, linked up with a company in Baltimore to make its Internet video conferencing system available to federal offices.

The collaboration between Shenzhen-based ZTE and Prescient, a five-employee unit of closely held CyberPoint International LLC, comes amid warnings about China’s military hacking into U.S. computers. A U.S. House committee report advised federal agencies and contractors last October to bypass ZTE and Huawei Technologies Co. products because they might help China spy.

“It’s dangerous for our country,” said U.S. Representative Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican who has supported restrictions on government use of Chinese goods. “There are job losses, national security ramifications and intellectual property issues at stake.”

The videoconferencing system, which carries both ZTE’s and Prescient’s names, was approved in November by the U.S. General Services Administration for sale to federal agencies.

Prescient said it assessed the device, documented its flaws and installed a U.S.-built hardware- and software-based firewall to block potential unauthorized access. That “substantially transformed” the product so it’s no longer considered a Chinese device, said Jerry Caponera, general manager for global partnerships at CyberPoint, a cybersecurity company.

American Made

“The beauty is after all that we have a Made-in-America product,” Caponera said. Prescient has sold three or four of the systems, he said. He declined to identify the buyers.

The U.S. market for networking equipment, which includes HD video conferencing systems, is about $51 billion, according to ACG Research, a Gilbert, Arizona-based industry consulting firm.

CyberPoint’s Prescient has made no secret of its work with ZTE, which it has publicized on its website. Prescient also has discussed its efforts to secure foreign technology with U.S. Representative C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

“China is where most manufacturing is done, and people are going to buy these products one way or another,” Caponera said. “I’d rather it happens in a more secure fashion.”

Only Vendor

CyberPoint’s Prescient unit is the only vendor to go beyond security-testing services for overseas products and offer to build and install U.S.-made safeguards, according to Caponera.

“It’s the first I’ve heard of such a business model,” said Christian Marrone, vice president for national security and acquisition policy at the Arlington, Virginia-based Aerospace Industries Association. The trade group represents more than 300 defense and aerospace companies, including 3M Co. (MMM:US), based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Northrop Grumman Corp.(NOC:US), based in Falls Church, Virginia, according to its website.

Even vetted and secured videoconferencing devices may not provide adequate protection, said HD Moore, chief research officer at Rapid7, a Boston-based cybersecurity company.

ZTE products, as well as those from Huawei and Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO:US), have been found to have so-called backdoors, Moore said. These alternative entryways are often exploited by hackers. They jeopardize product security, regardless of whether they are intentional, he said.

“I wouldn’t trust ZTE to build a toaster, given the vulnerabilities I’ve seen in their products,” Moore said.

Multipoint video conferencing systems are especially susceptible, Moore said. Some of the devices can default to automatically answer calls, and the cameras are powerful enough to read text from a document on a table, he said.

Uneasy Feeling

It’s difficult to counter deliberate compromises of technology equipment, Stewart Baker, a former assistant secretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in an e-mail.

Such efforts might work if they are done to the government’s satisfaction and with full knowledge, said Baker, a partner at the law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP in Washington. “At first blush, though, it makes me profoundly uneasy.”

ZTE was accused in an October 2012 House intelligence committee report of having links to the Chinese government, presenting opportunities for espionage. Huawei, also based in Shenzhen, failed to explain its relationship with the government, the report said.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an independent panel that advises Congress, said in a 2011 report that Huawei’s management structure is “opaque” and that Chinese government-affiliated entities appear to retain a majority share of ZTE’s stock.

Denying Links

Huawei and ZTE have denied links to espionage in the past, saying they aren’t controlled by the Chinese government.

Nina Zhou, a ZTE spokeswoman, didn’t answer questions about the vendor’s work with CyberPoint’s Prescient unit. “ZTE shares a global interest in promoting, not undermining, cybersecurity,” she said in an e-mail.

CyberPoint was founded in 2009 with four employees. Its staff has expanded to 130 workers, and the company has an office in Abu Dhabi. Karl Gumtow, its chief executive officer and co-founder, previously served as director of government contractor SRA International Inc.’s intelligence and space business unit.

In 2011, ZTE approached CyberPoint’s Prescient unit and asked for help improving its U.S. sales, said Caponera, whose LinkedIn Corp. (LNKD:US) account shows he previously worked at SRA and Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT:US) At the time, Prescient was exploring developing a niche market in securing overseas-made technology, making it more attractive to U.S. buyers, he said.

GSA Unaware

“They said they wanted to sell products in the U.S., and we said we could help with that,” Caponera said. “We said if your goal is anything else, we can’t help.”

Engineers at Prescient spent six to nine months assessing ZTE’s cloud-based video conferencing system for spyware and defects, creating software and hardware to help protect the device from any intrusions, he said.

The device has been available to government offices for more than eight months through a contract with the GSA, which coordinates orders for U.S. agencies. The GSA wasn’t aware of any purchases of the videoconferencing system through the contract, said Mafara Hobson, an agency spokeswoman.

Government and security officials say there are good reasons to be cautious about ZTE.

Limiting Purchases

In May, the Pentagon for the first time directly accused the Chinese military of intruding on U.S. computers to steal sensitive data. A February report from Mandiant Corp., an Alexandria, Virginia-based computer-security company, said the People’s Liberation Army in China may be behind the hacking of at least 141 companies worldwide since 2006.

In March, President Barack Obama signed a law that limits some federal agencies’ ability to purchase information-technology devices from a company connected with the Chinese government.

The partnership with Prescient may be a way for ZTE to work around Congress’s warnings, said Ray Mota, founder of ACG, the networking-equipment industry consulting. Mota previously served as chief research officer for Synergy Research Group, which analyzes the telecommunications industry.

The U.S. market for networking equipment has largely been closed since the House committee report advised contractors and agencies to avoid ZTE and Huawei, he said.

Backing Off

“Some people have backed off both companies after that report,” Mota said. “This is an opportunity for ZTE to open up the door and break down some barriers. Some people will say, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll use a ZTE product if this other American company says it’s secure and certifies it.’ They see this as an avenue to get back in here.”

Most business video conferencing systems used by the federal government come from San Jose, California-basedPolycom Inc. (PLCM:US) or Cisco, said Phil Karcher, an analyst with Forrester Research Inc. (FORR:US) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

While ZTE doesn’t break out its U.S. sales, it had revenue of 84.2 billion yuan ($13.8 billion) last year, according to its annual report. About 7 percent of that revenue came from the U.S., Cynthia Meng, an analyst with Jefferies Group LLC in Hong Kong, said in an e-mail.

ZTE and Prescient may collaborate on other telecommunications equipment. The Baltimore company is evaluating an optical-fiber distribution system made by ZTE that is designed to speed Internet access. That product might eventually be used by U.S. telecommunications companies that want a competitive offering to Verizon’s (VZ:US) FiOS service, said Bryan Paul, a Prescient engineer.

U.S. financial institutions and telecommunications carriers have also approached Prescient seeking a secure way to use foreign products, which are often cheaper or more advanced than their domestic counterparts, CyberPoint’s Caponera said.

Prescient wants to find safe ways to use overseas-made products, though “there’s no such thing as perfect,” he said.

“The market needs it, the country needs it and businesses need it,” said Caponera.

For detailed information, please visit China Video Tools for U.S. Help Spurs Spy Anxiety

MHealth and video conferencing leads to better care in rural North Carolina

As the CEO of Uplift Comprehensive Services (Greenville, N.C), I have seen to it that our organization fully embraces the notion of “mhealth.” By incorporating mobile high definition video conferencing, our doctors and clinicians can support even the most geographically remote patients, while also being able to access electronic health records and collaborate with other employees. The result not only has been improved service, but improved productivity, reduced travel and office expenses, and a better quality of life for our employees.

Using desktop video conferencing technology and a “bring your own device” (BYOD) strategy for mobile appliances, Uplift is saving at least $500 on each physician trip, or thousands of dollars each year. We are now using that savings for grant-funding opportunities, which leads to better patient care.

Implementing multipoint video conferencing in an mhealth strategy is not nearly as daunting as some organizations may fear. Below, I’ll outline how Uplift has employed mobile video conferencing, benefits that we’ve experienced, and advice for organizations considering a similar approach.

Geography and service

Uplift Comprehensive Services provides community-based assistance for children, adolescents and adults, including substance abuse prevention and mental health treatment. The agency is small-to-mid-sized (25-30 total staff, including two doctors and a handful of licensed therapists). The organization supports 15 counties across North Carolina. We've been in business for 12 years, beginning as the trend in mental health treatment started shifting from facilities-based treatment measures to community-based.

We offer a range of treatment options including multi-systemic therapy, outpatient therapy, and medication management, among others. The organization is committed to helping children and adults overcome social and economic hurdles.

Among our biggest challenges in providing this service was coordinating with clinicians in the field. Our patients live in some of the most remote regions of the state – areas in eastern North Carolina we call “little Australia,” where there may only be a land bridge or ferry connecting rural pockets. If a bridge washes out or a ferry is inoperative, we're in trouble. Even on a good day, sending a doctor to catch a ferry to visit a patient could take as much as four hours. We determined that it cost $500 per trip to send a physician to each person’s home for in-person care.

We had to figure out a more cost-effective and less time-consuming way to provide psychiatric and counseling services, while also being able to manage data, documents, coordinating with clinicians, and communicating with staff in the field. The first step was in realizing that we could better control costs if we sent a nurse practitioner to the patient’s home and connected with the doctor remotely. That way, the patient could receive the benefits of individualized, in-person care while still working directly with their physician.

Cloud-based video conferencing seemed to be the most appropriate solution. Some of our clinicians had used free video conferencing services previously, which worked to a limited degree. The difficulty with these free solutions, however, is that they are not HIPAA compliant. We also knew we needed access to all of our data in a secure environment. For that, we felt we needed an enterprise-class video conferencing solution, yet one that even a smaller organization like Uplift can afford.

Bring your own device

When we began offering mobile video conferencing in treatment, we provided mobile devices and tablets for employees. That changed very quickly because employees and clinicians did not want to have to carry two mobile devices – their own and the one they used for Uplift.

To accommodate the needs of the users, we now implement MDM (mobile device management) technology, which allows us to install software, provide updates, and set security protocols from our end. This ensures that if someone were to leave Uplift, all of our data and related information easily can be wiped from the device.

Transitioning from providing devices to having clinicians bring their own actually created a substantial cost savings for Uplift. Instead of having to pay $500 for a tablet, all we have to do is make sure that the content is protected and can be managed from our headquarters. This has been a useful strategy for our employees as well. They can use the platform of their choosing, and the one that they are most comfortable with, rather than being made to use whichever platform the organization as a whole would otherwise have selected for them.

Some people are concerned that a BYOD strategy could be a huge drain on the IT resources of a small organization. However, that’s not true. Much of this technology is actually being implemented without the involvement of an IT department at all.

Security, connectivity and mobility

Internet video conferencing solution providers typically offer some cloud-based solutions. That’s important for Uplift, because if we have an issue with our servers, or the power goes out, or there is some type of catastrophe on our end, we always have the failsafeof having our information residing in a secure cloud.

In terms of access, even high-speed cellular wireless networks have sufficient throughput to accommodate high definition video conferencing connections. 4G networks are more than robust enough to carry the two-way high definition video conferencing traffic that Uplift requires. As these networks continue to expand, the portability and usability of mobile devices for HD video conferencing can only continue to improve dramatically.

Mobility is, obviously, a critical part of Uplift’s strategy for providing health services. With mobile devices, Uplift has extended its coverage to the point that we do not have to worry about establishing an office in a rural area, or having a clinician check in with that office. All documentation can be done on the device, electronic health records can be accessed online, and clinicians and patients can communicate with anyone else in the organization, including doctors, using these mobile remote devices.

This approach has been so beneficial that we were actually able to reduce our need for office space. All of our clinicians are in the field, and they're turning in documents electronically. That led me to question why we were spending so much money for office space. So we downsized, and our clinicians have not missed a beat.

As far as the funding for this technology, some of the costis billable through Medicaid and other insurance companies. For the portion that cannot be billed, Uplift considers it as an operational cost. 

Another key economic benefit came in reduced travel. As I mentioned before, there were days when our clinicians would have to travel for hours to do a one-hour appointment, then check into the offices, drive to wherever the patient they may be, and return and fill out documentation. It would not be impossible for them to spend four hours on the road. That’s not only time consuming, it actually led to a loss in overall productivity. With their own mobile devices, staffers can do their work in the field, and collaborate remotely. The technology even inter-relates with our exchange servers, so it is been a real boon in work productivity.

Advice for other agencies

When adopting a mobile strategy and incorporating video conferencing in your mhealth treatment approach, there are several simple but important aspects to keep in mind:

• Make sure you secure your devices. Use a good mobile device management solution. And don't be afraid of the expense; there are many robust free solutions available. We are able to monitor all of our devices, install apps and update apps remotely with a free MDM tool. This can result a huge savings in time, energy and expense.
• Consider the security aspects of the solution you select.There are a million different ways to do video conferencing, both free and paid. Look for the solution that is the most reasonable for your effort, enabling a layer of HIPAA compliance, providing the greatest flexibility in collaboration and offering the ability to add and drop calls easily.
• Stay current with technology.Remote devices change almost every day, so you have to be comfortable with as many as possible, and their capabilities. Embrace the technology, don't run away from it.

By attending home visits using mobile HD video conferencing, Uplift’s doctors are able to provide the comprehensive treatment patients expect from the comfort of the patient’s own home. The clinician in the field is able to provide the much-needed human element, and collaborates with the doctors as needed.

Best of all productivity has increased throughout the practice. Instead of spending hours on unnecessary travel, Uplift doctors and clinicians are able to visit more patients, to focus on what’s most important: the well-being of our patients.

Article Source: MHealth and video conferencing leads to better care in rural North Carolina

The Workplace of The Future: Connected, Collaborative, Creative

The Internet of Everything is reshaping every aspect of our lives -- including how and where we work. Think back to the 1950s, when the telephone was the only connected device in the typical office, and collaboration happened only when coworkers physically walked into a conference room for a face-to-face meeting.

Today, we take for granted an ever-expanding collection of connected devices and collaboration tools that didn't even exist 10 or 20 years ago -- smartphones, tablets, "smart" white boards, online meetings, desktop video conferencing, online document sharing, TelePresence, social media -- all helping us change the ways we communicate, collaborate, and share.

With the amount of new technical information in the world doubling every two years, the future holds the promise of even greater, faster change. Google Glass is just the beginning of a whole new category of wearable technology that will enable even tighter integration of technology with work and life.

And robots are making their way from the factory floor to the office environment -- answering questions and providing expert information as virtual receptionists, HR representatives, help-desk staffers, and more. The iRobot Ava 500 online video collaboration robot, introduced in June, is just the latest example, combining TelePresence and robotics technology to extend the reach of busy employees. As this new class of robots connects to more intelligence in the cloud, they will become even better equipped to work alongside people in an office setting.

But the workplace of the future is not just about connected devices. It's also about when and where we work, and how we get our best ideas.

As always-on connections among people, process, data, and things become more pervasive, the lines between work and the rest of life will continue to blur -- allowing a busy dad to see his daughter's softball game without missing a client's important inquiry, or enabling a mom to extend the family vacation by working the last few days from their mountain cabin.

And this is a good thing.

According to a 16-year study by Idea Champions, only 3 percent of the 10,000 people they interviewed said that they come up with their best ideas at work. The other 97 percent said their best ideas come to them while they are in the shower, on vacation, taking walks, enjoying a glass of wine, or just doing nothing. While a highly structured, tightly scheduled workplace may foster productivity, a more relaxed, unstructured environment unlocks creativity.

Employers can extend this "creative space" by allowing flexibility in where and when people work, and by providing the collaboration and mobility tools to allow them to work anywhere, any time. Companies can make the office environment more conducive to creativity by providing a flexible, open, collaborative workspace. Cisco's "connected workplace," where I work, features bright colors, moveable work stations, broad views to the outside, an open, free-flowing environment -- and the connected technology to enable the exchange of ideas with colleagues around the world.

This virtualized workspace of the future is just one of the ways the Internet of Everything is transforming the ways we work, live, play, and learn. As the number of Internet connections continues to grow, so will our opportunity to foster creativity and reinvent the very nature of work.

So, while these may be the "dog days" of summer, when vacations and disrupted family schedules might chip away at corporate productivity, this also may be your company's most creative time. When people's routines loosen up, with time to let their minds wander, there just might be room for the big ideas.

Article Source: The Workplace of The Future: Connected, Collaborative, Creative

First-ever video conference for security on Eid

IN order to review the public safety and security arrangements being adopted by the Regional Police Officers across the Punjab on the occasion of Chand Raat and Eid-ul-Fitar, the first-ever Video RPO Conference was held on Thursday at the Central Police Office Lahore under the chairmanship of Inspector General of Police Punjab Khan Baig.

In desktop video Conferencing, RPO Faisalabad Javaid Islam, RPO Sargodha Muhammad Tahir, RPO Multan Ali Amir Malik, RPO Sahiwal Muhammad Shehzad Sultan, RPO Bahawalpur Ahmed Ishaq Jehangir, RPO D.G. Khan Akhter Umer Hayat, CPO Gujranwala, Raja Riffat Mukhtar and SSP Operations Rawalpindi Israr Ahmed Khan were present at the video link whereas RPO Sheikhupura Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh, CCPO Lahore Shafique Ahmed, DIG Operations Lahore Rai Muhammad Tahir, AIG Operations Waqas Nazir and PSO to IGP Muhammad Ali Naik personally attended the conference.

While addressing his maiden cloud-based video conferencing, the IGP said that the purpose of such conference is only to ensure the presence of the field officers in their regions on the occasion of Eid festival and to save unnecessary official expenditures.

Subjects like security arrangements in shopping malls, markets, mosques, Eidgahs, Madaris, imambargahs, sensitive points and government buildings along with the security of jails and arrest of hardened criminals were included in the agenda.

All the RPOs briefed the IGP regarding the region-wise security arrangements which they adopted for 15549 mosques, 1197 Imam Bargahs and 1325 public places where Eid prayer will be offered.

RPOs also briefed about the security steps taken by them in all the hotels, inns, guest houses and hostels of their regions. They said that all these places are already being thoroughly searched whereas regular monitoring of these is still going on.

Khan Baig directed the RPOs that in collaboration with the elite police force, rangers and jail authorities, security of jails, including sensitive jails, should be ensured. He also advised that bullet proof jackets and sand bags must be provided to the official deputed force at sensitive security points of the jails. The IGP also reviewed the response time in case of occurrence of any kind of untoward incident.

He said that the basic responsibility of the police officer is to eliminate crime and those who failed in discharging their duties will face departmental action along with their transfer.

IGP also told that he waved of a complicated procedure of reward payment for the officials who get injured during duty. AIG Operations was given the task who immediately process the reward statement send by any field officer and arrange the money for injured. IGP also said that these officials will be provided free medical treatment by the department.

 Article Source: First-ever video conference for security on Eid

Polycom enhances video management capabilities with mobile video support for 50,000 devices

Polycom, Inc. , the global leader in open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), today announced that the latest Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Resource Manager software v8.0 update gives large enterprise customers and service providers the ability to support up to 50,000 video user registrants joining from mobile, desktop or group video systems, helping IT organizations support the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend. Polycom today also unveiled Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Video DualManager(TM) 400 solution, a new Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Platform offering available on an industry-standard server that provides resource management, broad call-control support and interoperability for midsized enterprise video networks.

"Organizations of all sizes are seeking to equip employees with video collaboration capabilities whether from the road, from home or right from their desks," said A.E. Natarajan, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Engineering, Polycom. "For large enterprises and service providers, the enhanced Resource Manager can help IT support BYOD since it's optimized for the secure, highly scalable video collaboration that is being fueled by the proliferation of mobile and desktop video users. For midsized enterprises, the new RealPresence Video DualManager 400 is a single appliance that gives the IT organization the intelligent infrastructure they need to make video collaboration always available so that their employees can have more productive meetings with their colleagues, partners and customers."

Large Enterprises and Service Providers: Support BYOD and Enhance Help-Desk Services

The new software release of the RealPresence Resource Manager (v8.0) can support up to 50,000 video devices, which can include mobile smartphones and tablets, desktop clients, and up to 10,000 group video collaboration systems, such as Polycom(R) HDX(R) Series and Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Group Series systems. The new release also features enhancements in monitoring, provisioning, and reporting; an API suite for custom app development integrations; more flexibility for scheduling calls; and additional virtual meeting room management capabilities.

Polycom today also announced updates to Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Distributed Media Application(TM) (DMA v6.0) that provide enhanced video operator services with help-desk features such as on-demand support with dialing, added interactive voice response messaging that provides more information about the status of a call, enhanced call detail records for recording and billing, additional interoperability capabilities, support for multiple languages, and customization options.

For service providers, the updates to Resource Manager and DMA enhance the scale of the solution for mobile and desktop service offers, enhance the end-user experience for service provider customers, and provide additional richness to the data stored for reporting and billing purposes.

Manage Midsized Video Networks with a Solution Available on an Industry-Standard Server

The RealPresence Video DualManager 400 includes Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) Resource Manager and the Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) DMA software, which, respectively, allow IT administrators to manage video resources and distribute video calls across networks. With the RealPresence Video DualManager 400 solution, customers can drive down communication and administration costs, simplify UC&C collaboration for users, protect existing IT investments by unifying different networks, and maximize the return on their enterprise-wide UC&C implementation. Features and benefits of the new RealPresence Video DualManager 400 solution include:

Dynamic monitoring, provisioning and reporting for midsized organizations: IT managers can dynamically monitor, provision and report on 100 to 400 devices, and manage and distribute up to 150 concurrent calls across diverse video, voice and content collaboration networks.

Employee empowerment to control their own video meetings: organizations can enable anytime conferencing and offer virtual meeting rooms to employees who access their UC&C networks with managed devices.

SIP-based SVC Call Management: interoperability with SVC-capable collaboration servers enable IT managers to manage the signaling and call control for SIP-based SVC calls.

Maximizing investment protection: RealPresence Video DualManager 400 offers a powerful and highly efficient migration path for Polycom(R) CMA(TM) 4000 customers looking to expand their video network to include the benefits of SVC or extend video to browser-based users via Polycom(R) RealPresence(R) CloudAXIS Suite.

As the number of desktop video conferencing systems and personal video users grows within an organization, so does the need for centralized device and video traffic management," said Ira M. Weinstein, senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research. "The RealPresence DualManager 400 includes full versions of two important Polycom infrastructure solutions, Resource Manager and DMA, packaged within a single appliance. This release makes it faster and easier for organizations to add proactive monitoring and advanced device management to their hd video conferencing environments. These capabilities are especially critical for global deployments that include both group and personal video systems."

Article Source: Polycom enhances video management capabilities with mobile video support for 50,000 devices

Infrastructure a hurdle for video conferencing legislation

Legislation introduced in the House of Representatives in July aims to reduce travel expenses for federal employees by up to half by 2017, but complying with such a robust cost-cutting measure could pose challenges to many federal agencies.

H.R. 2643, introduced by Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), would make hd video conferencing an integral part of a plan developed by the director of the Office of Management and Budget to cut $7.5 billion off the $15 billion the government spends on travel each year.

Yet challenges in IT infrastructure, tight agency budgets and policy are potential barriers to entry for many agencies.

"To get that kind of reduction, you're going to have to have a significant infrastructure upgrade – you're increasing traffic across the network when your employees are desktop video conferencing," said Jason Parry, Collaboration Practice Director at Force 3, a federal IT solutions provider.

Agencies with highly developed IT infrastructures might not sweat the extra bandwidth required by employees engaging in more Internet video conferencing, but smaller agencies that haven't built out existing infrastructures yet might not be able to pony up the cash to modernize.

In addition, proprietary multipoint video conferencing software can be an expensive acquisition for agencies that haven't dabbled in it before. But some new technologies could help alleviate the financial burden for agencies with tight budgets.

"Online video conferencing is increasingly cloud-based or IP-enabled, so access can be available via an agency's established enterprise network," said Cindy Auten, general manager for Mobile Work Exchange.

"Agencies do not necessarily need to invest in new systems for cloud-based video conferencing solutions, which can range from off-the-shelf services to dedicated meeting facilities that make it appear as if remote participants are actually in the room – and price points will vary," Auten added.

Fitzpatrick's bill incorporates aspects of several other executive and legislative policies, including the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, Executive Order 13589 and OMB's 12-12-12 memorandum, which already called for agencies to reduce travel expenditures by 30 percent compared to 2010 levels.

Yet those policies have been interpreted and treated differently by various agencies, with NASA, for example, disallowing travel for employees when remote participation by phone or business video conferencing was possible. That move saved the agency $21 million in fiscal 2012, but overall savings realized from decreased travel and increased videoconferencing are likely to vary significantly from agency to agency.

Executive-branch government video conferencing policy would be set by OMB, but after the general guidelines are in place, agencies could tailor them to fit their mission.

"On the policy side of it, if [the bill] passes and it's in place, the question will be how agencies use healthcare video conferencing, what they should use it for, and when you should do it as opposed to traveling and other means of communication," Parry said. "Enforcing that legislation if any of those policies are shaky, it really doesn't work."

Parry said cutting feds' travel costs in half by 2017 is a lofty goal -- one that might best be met by a "gradual approach" rather than a sudden shift. Any plan would have to be transparent so that savings are tracked, documented and potentially reallocated elsewhere, Parry added.

"I think that the best plan would look at a gradual reduction," Parry said. "It is not going to be like flipping a switch. For what they intend to reduce over the next few years, we would need a plan where a portion of the money being saved would be allocated back to a capital budget to be able to provide the infrastructure that is required to reach that 50 percent mark."

Article Source: Infrastructure a hurdle for video conferencing legislation

U.S. Government Seeks to Save $15 Billion With Video Conferencing

Web based video conferencing has many benefits, not the least of which is economical. As travel costs rise and travel budgets tighten, many in business have moved toward online, real-time communication tools. According to The Business of Federal Technology, it appears that the U.S. government may be following suit. This July, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced legislation that would potentially cut $15 billion in travel expenses incurred annually by federal agencies through the increased use of video conferencing.

The bill, titled "Cut the Waste, Stay in Place Act of 2013," and introduced by Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, (R-Pa.), would call on the director of the Office of Management and Budget to develop a plan to reduce the federal government’s travel expenditures by as much as 50 percent by 2017. 

Specifically, the bill calls on the use of desktop video conferencing to achieve a significant budget cut. Writers of the bill claim the following three benefits to adopting this new measure:

1. Cloud-based video conferencing has been under-utilized thus far, and therefore its full potential has not been completely realized.
2. The move from hardware-based software to browser-based software makes video conferencing technology less expensive and more accessible to more parties.
3. Online video conferencing enhances communication, improves problem-solving, reduces carbon footprints, facilitates better collaboration, and shortens project time periods, among many other benefits.

This new bill builds on previous orders issued via the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, which already calls for agencies to reduce travel expenditures by 30 percent compared to 2010 levels. Under the umbrella of previous initiatives, many agencies have already made motions toward collaborative technology.

NASA is one such agency. It saved $21 million in fiscal 2012 by replacing travel with hd video conferencing when it was possible. The Naval Safety & Environmental Training Center has successfully used video conferencing for better training programs--providing video-based education to over 10,000 government civilians and Navy personnel all over the world. The Center also adapted its mission-critical U.S. Navy Safety Professional Development, replacing its San Diego conference with a video broadcast. This adaptation reduced a potential $1.5 million travel tab to less than $100,000.

The budget saving advantages of multipoint video conferencing are undeniable, and the U.S. government agrees. Real-time communication benefits are realized while maintaining a responsible hold on expenditures.

Article Source: U.S. Government Seeks to Save $15 Billion With Video Conferencing

Pilot video conferences help families connect with prisoners from a distance

The Beltsville Adventist Community Center is using video technology to help families keep in touch with their imprisoned relatives.

The center, which is less than a year old, installed web based video conferencing software and equipment that family and friends can use to speak with inmates who are eligible to receive visitors at Jessup Correctional Institution.

“We’re very excited to be piloting this,” said Glenn Holland, community pastor for the center, which is operated through the Beltsville Seventh-day Adventist Church.

“We think this is better for safety, and it is easier on families in that they do not have to travel as far,” said Martha Danner of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Inmates are more likely to be successful after prison if they have strong family support, but many cannot make the journey for visits on a regular basis, Danner said.

“If somebody can visit from a remote location and maintain closer contact with the inmate, that inmate may well do better when he or she gets out,” said Danner, the department’s deputy director of community supervision support.

Holland said he learned about desktop video conferencing visits being used in Virginia through the regional conference of Seventh-day Adventist churches. Holland said Virginia is the only other state to provide the service. “It seemed like something we ought to be doing in Maryland,” he said. He contacted the department of correctional services in September to develop the program.

Jessup is the only Maryland prison participating, but if the pilot is successful, the program will be expanded to other state prisons, Danner said. Several Baltimore area churches have expressed an interest in the idea.

There are 22 prisons in Maryland; Jessup is the closest to Prince George’s County.

Capt. Anthony Lewis, pilot project coordinator at Jessup, said the benefits include not having to search visitors for contraband or worry about visitor safety inside the facility.

“Jessup Correctional Institution was pleased to be chosen . . .to pilot this video visit program,” Lewis said. “This is a wonderful program, and I would like to see it expand.”

The first video visit was held July 14.

“It went great,” Holland said. “They were really excited to be the first ones to try it.” The inmate and visitor did not want to be identified, he said.

Video visits must be scheduled at least a week in advance by calling the Beltsville Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Visits are scheduled only for Sundays because the church observes the Sabbath on Saturdays and hosts a day-care program weekdays. But if demand increases, the program might be extended to weeknights, Holland said.

The community center also provides other services, such as counseling, a computer lab and a food pantry.

Holland said the video visit is one way churches and government can cooperate.

“Both churches and government need to be working together to meet the needs of the community that we both have a mutual interest in serving,” Holland said.

Article Source: Pilot video conferences help families connect with prisoners from a distance

Suriya interaction with US Fans through video conference - SINGAM2 Success

Milpitas, California: On the special occasion of SINGAM2's 25th Day of continuous screening as well as 100th Show in California Bay Area (San Francisco and San Jose), Suriya joined his US fans from his house at Chennai through web based video conferencing and spent two hours of wonderful interaction with a wide spectrum of fans ranging from four years old child to 50+ years old seniors living in California Bay Area (San Francisco and San Jose area).

Venkatesh Babu, Exhibitor of SINGAM2 for North California (Bay Area and Sacramento) on behalf of ATMUS entertainment, organized this desktop video conferencing with the great support from Suriya and his team. The interaction between Suriya and his fans was very lively and enjoyable. Each fan came with their family and sat in front of the video camera and interacted directly with Suriya by asking questions, while everyone else were watching both Suriya and the fan (asking question) side-by-side in the big screen of Serra Theatres, Milpitas, where the video conference was conducted by the Exhibitor, as shown in the enclosed photo.

Suriya was very open and honest, and gave detailed answers to all the questions from the fans. While answering to kids, he really answered with tremendous amount of happiness! For elders, he gave lot of respect while answering their questions. When a teenage fan put in a request, Suriya instantly delivered the most popular SINGAM punch dialogue "Singatha photo-la paathiruppa, cinema-la paathiruppa...ongi adichaa onra ton weightu-da...paakuriyaa..." with the same furious expressions. Wow! It was a unique enjoyable moment for all the fans attending the hd video conferencing.

Suriya has created records through SINGAM2 and this interactive event through online video conferencing is also a record as this is the first time, a big movie star is interacting with his US based Fans through video conference just like how US Corporations conduct meetings with their India IT team.

On behalf of all the California Bay Area Fans, the exhibitor would like to sincerely thank Suriya for spending his valuable time from his busy schedule and interact with his fans. Its indeed a memorable experience for all the fans who interacted with Suriya and the level of respect for Suriya has increased multi-fold among the fans! Hats off to Suriya and best wishes for all success! Special thanks to Serra Theaters for allowing their facility to conduct the Internet video conferencing right after screening the 100th Bay Area Show of SINGAM2.

Article Source: Suriya interaction with US Fans through video conference - SINGAM2 Success

Consortium uses video conferencing to connect workers, companies, educators

Since January 2007, thousands of manufacturing workers in Minnesota have either lost their jobs due to foreign trade or are in danger of job loss.

Manufacturers across the region are experiencing a severe skills gap – they can find plenty of lower-skilled workers but high-skilled technicians in advanced manufacturing disciplines are scarce.

To attack this trend, Central Lakes College of Staples and Brainerd, along with Pine Technical College of Pine City and St. Cloud Technical and Community College, formed a Minnesota consortium with fellow members of the state’s 360 Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence at Bemidji State University and other schools in the Minnesota State College and University System.

Last year, the consortium created the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Re-Training program, the results of which aim to directly lead to high-wage, high-skilled employment outcomes for more than 3,900 workers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Playing a central role in the overall education program is video guidance, a leading strategic visual communications company based in Bloomington, Minn. Video Guidance will deploy a new telepresence web based video conferencing system, funded through a Federal Department of Labor TAACCCT (Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training) grant awarded to the consortium, which will connect companies and colleges to upgrade skills of the manufacturing workforce.

College Manufacturing Faculty, in cooperation with Adult Basic Education and College Developmental Education personnel, will offer introductory, core manufacturing courses to expand the educated labor pool. Enhanced online courses will emphasize advanced manufacturing areas of machining, metals, plastics and composites, automation technology and rapid prototyping. The plan is to educate Veterans, and TAA-impacted and other dislocated workers.

In addition to dozens of companies and industry partners, the program also enlists public workforce system partners, including Veterans organizations.

Article Source: Consortium uses video conferencing to connect workers, companies, educators

Researchers find video conference job interviews bad for companies and candidates

Job applicants interviewed through online video conferencing come across as less likeable, a new study from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University has found.

The study, conducted by Greg Sears and Haiyan Zhang when they were PhD students at DeGroote, shows that using Internet video conferencing for job interviews disadvantages both employers and candidates.

With use of hd video conferencing growing—in recent surveys 50% up to 65% of employers have reported using the technology for job interviews—the DeGroote study raises cautions about widespread use of video conferencing in recruitment.

In simulated job interviews, candidates who were interviewed by video-conferencing were rated lower by interviewers and were less likely to be recommended for hiring. On the other side of the webcam, candidates also rated their interviewers as less attractive, personable, trustworthy and competent.

"Increasingly, video technology is being used in employment interviewing because companies feel it provides convenience and cost savings. Despite their growing use, our study shows that desktop video conferencing interviews are not equivalent to face-to-face interviews," explains Sears, now an associate professor at the Sprott School of Business.

Accurate assessments of candidates and positive evaluations of interviewers are essential as organizations compete for talent. Candidates who evaluate their interviewers more positively are more likely to accept a job offer.

Study co-author Willi Wiesner, associate professor of human resources at DeGroote, says, "These findings suggest that using multipoint video conferencing can adversely affect both applicant reactions and interviewer judgments. Video conferencing places technological barriers between applicants and interviewers. Employers and applicants should work to reduce the barriers that arise through video conferencing and improve the interpersonal aspects of the interview process."

The researchers recommend that web based video conferencing be used only for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection of candidates should be conducted through face-to-face interviews.

The study is published in the journal Management Decision. The research was funded by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 28,000, and more than 159,000 alumni in 139 countries.

10 tips for using video conferencing for job interviews

• Use the same interview approach on all candidates who are competing for the same job. Don't interview some by video and some in person. Candidates might first be interviewed using video technology, with successful candidates invited for on-site face-to-face interviews.
• Both interviewers and applicants should use the best equipment and internet connections they can afford to lessen delays or technical limitations which can lead to conversations becoming less fluid or interactive.
• Body language is important, but facial expressions are most important. Ensure that cameras are positioned close enough to catch facial expressions of both the interviewer and the candidate.
• Because people are looking at the image of the other individual on the screen and not the webcams mounted at the top of their screens participants report a lack of eye contact in VC interviews. Place the webcam as close to eye level as possible.
• The lack of physical proximity, signal compression, and participants' nervousness in communicating via technology tend to make for stilted, flat communication. Just as screen actors need to be particularly expressive with their faces and voices in order to convey feelings or emotions on camera, interviewers and applicants should be more expressive than usual. Practice nodding more noticeably, smiling more broadly, making greater use of hand gestures, varying vocal pitch, tonality and emphasis.
• Given the added novelty and nervousness that may occur from a VC interview, preparation is key. Practice with readily available technology, such as Skype or FaceTime. Conduct "mock interviews" with friends and family.
• To make a good impression on a candidate, interviewers should take extra time at the start of the interview to outline the process and engage in small-talk to allow the applicant to get comfortable with the technology.
• Add a more personal touch to the selection process. Provide candidates with an informational video showing existing employees and their work/non-work activities. Allow candidates to speak directly with employees about their experience at the company.
• Have a notetaker, so that the interviewer does not further distance him or herself from the applicant by constantly looking down.
• Reserve cloud-based video conferencing for preliminary screening interviews. Final selection is still a job for face-to-face interviews.

Article Source: Researchers find video conference job interviews bad for companies and candidates

6 myths stifling videoconferencing growth in business and government

What priorities do businesses and government agencies share in common?  Head and shoulders above the rest, few would argue against higher productivity and lower costs.

Findings from Mobile Work Exchange show that web based video conferencing can deliver massive potential improvements on both counts.

Mobile Work Exchange’s September 2012 research found that if half of all federal government workers used desktop video conferencing, they would achieve an average productivity increase of 3.5 hours per week, shave about $4.95 billion from annual travel costs, and in total save an estimated $8 billion a year.  In the wake of these findings, Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and others are promoting a new bill highlighting videoconferencing as a way to reduce Federal Government travel spending by 50%.  The title of the bill says it all: the Stay In Place, Cut the Waste Act of 2013

There’s no denying the obvious benefits –- less travel, lower costs, higher productivity rates — and they apply just as much to businesses as to government.

So why are organizations of all kinds not adopting videoconferencing en masse and why do analyst reports paint a gloomy picture of the traditional online video conferencing market? Infonetics Research described 2012 as a ‘rotten’ year for the industry and IDC’s report for the first quarter of this year illustrates a similar lack of growth.

The problem stems from a market that has for long been polarized and now, with a plethora of new offerings, is confused as well. Until recently, there were very few viable alternatives for the middle ground between high end, high cost, high maintenance boardroom installations and software-based systems like Skype or FaceTime.  Now an avalanche of newer products with widely differing functions and formats are aiming to serve the beyond-the-boardroom hd video conferencing needs of small conference rooms, cash-strapped government agencies and remote collaboration teams.

This new wave of Internet video conferencing comes not a minute too soon.

Even organizations with videoconferencing facilities already in place only have them in 5% of available meeting rooms – primarily because of the high cost of adding to a traditional system, or because more affordable systems did not work with what was already there.  Person-to-person systems don’t serve the need of group meetings, as anyone who has crouched three to a chair behind a PC screen or held up a laptop to a whiteboard can attest. There is pent-up demand for videoconferencing from an estimated 20 million secondary conference rooms worldwide.  So what’s keeping more organizations from getting connected?

Too many options is one reason. How to choose between cloud-based, virtualized, software-centric, browser-based or HDTV-based systems?   The biggest problem lies in what people think they know, but actually don't.

These are the six top misconceptions muddying the videoconferencing waters.

1.  Video conferencing equipment is very expensive
No longer true.  Even on a small budget, you can hold out for high quality, business-class equipment that doesn’t require a resident Einstein to make it work.  Standards-based, multi-point video conferencing, content sharing and security is available at less than $1,000 per room via some of the newest, all-in-one systems that have been introduced in the last few months.

2. You need a specialized video infrastructure and that’s a major cost
Again, not true. New product options mean you can use a virtual cloud-based infrastructure instead of making a heavy investment in servers and other hardware.  Some new offerings work both with existing, in-house infrastructures as well as the cloud.

3.  Video conferencing is complicated and needs dedicated IT support every time it’s used
Newer solutions are designed for the least technical of users.  Lightest on IT support (and budgets) are the latest all-in-one, HDTV-based systems.  Because they don’t need to be connected to a PC with separate speakers, microphone and camera, they are easier to use than your average cable TV remote.

4.  New room systems must be the same brand as existing boardroom video systems
Not any more.  Newer, standard based videoconferencing solutions work with most of the traditional cloud-based video conferencing vendors’ equipment and will connect multiple different systems – even mobile users – to sync up with whatever you (or your partners and clients) already have in the boardroom, without missing a beat.

5.  We need to decide between cloud-based and on-premise options
See Item 2 above.   Cloud-based and on-premise options are now available on the same appliance-based solutions.  And you can mix and match these options in different conference rooms within the same organization.

6.  With so much discussion about WebRTC, shouldn’t I wait for that to be commercially available?If you’re willing to wait a while, go ahead. WebRTC is exciting, but it is still some time away from being a universal standard. When it matures, it will be incorporated into a number of upcoming offerings. For immediate desktop video conferencing needs, buy a system from a vendor that’s committed to a universal standard with WebRTC, SIP and emerging standards in their roadmap.

If more of us (Federal purchasing departments included) understood the truth concealed behind these myths, we might see hd video conferencing begin to make some major contributions to US and global productivity and cost reduction.

Article Source: 6 myths stifling videoconferencing growth in business and government