Technological trends in the development of the Russian videoconferencing market

2024

Technological trends and promising technologies of video conferencing systems

All experts interviewed by TAdviser agree that at least one of the next four promising areas is relevant for the end of 2023 - beginning of 2024. Most often, they talk about AI and neural networks, about the need to universalize products, about information security and technological integrations. There are other accents.

Boris Popov, Director of Business Development at Vinteo:

Classic video conferencing based on SIP and H.323 protocols also does not give up its position, remains an engine of sales in the Russian market and is developing - customers are actively building and scaling infrastructure, the number of ports is growing from year to year.

There is a tendency to enlarge projects, with requests for video conferencing for several thousand people. For large companies, hundreds of employees in different offices around the country can use video communication at the same time. It is important for them to ensure operation at high load. One of the options for this is a high-load cluster (for example, Kubernetes).

Anna Kuzyakina, Commercial Director of DION:

There is a general trend towards improving signal transmission algorithms (smart bitrate, packet loss prediction/compensation).

Most vendors use the same open-source technology - WebRTC. It provides high quality communication, works equally in both desktop and mobile versions. Therefore, from a technological point of view, all VKS on the market are approximately equal. However, there are separate solutions that use end-to-end encryption (E2EE).

One of the new trends is the transition to a cloud infrastructure. Cloud VKS systems are flexible, which allows you to quickly increase subscriber capacity, reducing company costs.

Some experts note the "growth of appetites" among vendor customers: a request for more functionality, manufacturability, safety, etc.

Neural Networks and Machine Learning

Recently, artificial intelligence has attracted the most attention. AI-based tools have been used in both business and government.

Machine learning technologies allow developers of VKS products to solve typical user problems. If earlier the functions of neural networks were perceived as features, then after switching to a remote format, organizations are waiting for this in the basic functionality.

Ensuring the high quality of online events is a key indicator for the VKS. With the help of intelligent noise cancellation, manufacturers are trying to make sure that even from subscribers with a weak camera or microphone there is a high-quality picture and (spatial) sound.

Intelligent background replacement or blurring gives the impression of being at the selected location. The autocomposition of the frame allows the static camera to automatically focus on the face of the speaker, which is convenient when moving, moving the speaker in the frame.

Automatic meeting logging is gaining popularity. Video conferencing transcription technologies automatically convert the speech of all participants into role-structured text (filtering out profanity). The functions of creating a compressed text resume, which is distributed at the end of the meeting among all its participants, are also in demand.

Experts expect the use of artificial intelligence in VKS systems to expand. In particular, AI will provide tips and recommendations for holding meetings, analyze the emotional state of meeting participants, and much more.

Single Window Service Request: Going Beyond Video Call Solution

The communication software industry is developing towards multifunctionality. "Naked" video communication services no longer meet the requirements of the global market and cannot close the needs of modern companies in corporate communications. Companies need tools for the full interaction of employees: calls from applications to mobile numbers, file sharing, screen and slide shows, a convenient address book, corporate and personal chats, mail, calendar, polling, built-in document flow, etc.

In fact, in 2024, only those VKS that are introduced into the employee's digital workplace will be competitive, - says Maxim Rozuman, head of DevOps "First Form."

Systems are becoming more complex: messengers, online collaboration boards, knowledge bases are added. Full-fledged UC platforms are formed - spaces for collective work, including all the resources necessary for the team.

Everyone wants to do like Microsoft Teams, - notes Andrey Vratsky, CEO of the corporate communications and mobility platform eXpress.

Information security

The experience of past years has shown a serious increase in the number of information leaks. The protection of communications and transmitted data remains one of the main trends. Companies are forced to develop solutions for protecting user data and business reputation, because the vast majority of VKS meetings take place through public access channels and through public cloud platforms.

Given the growth of external threats and attacks, the trend towards on-premieses platforms is pronounced in the commercial segment, "says Dmitry Klipach, Head of System Integration at Unitsolutions.

IT Platform Integrations: Strong Players Combine Expertise

The increase in the number of implementations of corporate instant messengers and other communication products also forms an important market requirement: the need for integration between popular IT systems in the shortest possible time.

Experts call technological integrations one of the key trends for the industry. Solutions from different software and device manufacturers are getting along in the IT infrastructure of large companies. To make it easier for customers to choose the right solution and integrate it into their infrastructure, the developers of mature IT solutions join forces and ensure the compatibility of their products. No less important for customers today is the compatibility of IT solutions with Russian server, desktop and mobile OS.

Many are accustomed to foreign vendors who have been creating global trends in this and related areas for more than a dozen years, so today the high degree of integration of new domestic platforms with earlier ones is very important.

Many developers of heavy VKS solutions add support for unified communications functionality and integration with various corporate services to their products, which significantly expands the possibilities of using VKS and corporate services. Also, optimization of VKS software reduces the requirements for computing power and increases the number of participants in virtual negotiations, which leads to a decrease in the cost of the VKS solution. Many infrastructure elements are added to the core of the VKS solution, which significantly expands the architecture of the VKS network of companies with a large number of offices and allows them to abandon cloud services for corporate work, "says Alexey Kirsankin, head of the video conferencing department of AMT GROUP.

Long-term technologies

As for the very distant prospects, expert visionary opinions can be roughly divided into two large categories: the influence of AI and the development of VR/3D/metaverse.

In general, as far as AI is concerned, experts emphasize clock transfer, shorthand and the formation of automatic conference protocols.

Now they talk a lot about artificial intelligence. Take at least the conclusion from the AI assistant that became a meme: Zoom"Maria, Kira and Irina discussed various topics, but did not come to any decisions," Maxim Rozuman sneers.

Without denying the importance and benefits of AI technologies for business, the expert believes that at the moment in Russia the issue of data privacy is acute.

In this regard, it is impossible not to remember the case with the same Zoom with the announced AI training on customer data.

Metaverse/3D, gamification, post-quantum encryption and other possible trends

One of the directions for the development of the VKS systems market may be the introduction of 3D video communication and the concept of virtual presence. Such solutions allow you to create a realistic 3D projection of a person in real time for remote communication.

There are already video conferencing services that allow you to work and communicate in mixed reality, where the meeting participants become avatars. Users can go to VR and create virtual desktops.

At the moment, such technologies are more common in the West, but in the next few years, some experts expect to see 3D solutions from domestic manufacturers. For example, these can be virtual and augmented reality elements that recreate the maximum realism of negotiations.

The global market is actively developing virtual spaces and "live" video communication, for example, there is Project Ghost from Logitech. First of all, this is due to the desire to create more realistic conditions for communication and interaction and reduce the negative effect of remote work and the lack of personal meetings.

Boris Popov, Director of Business Development at Vinteo:

If we talk about the distant potential for the development of technologies, then this is a transition to the reality of the world of science fiction - a three-dimensional image of the interlocutor, surround sound, video transmission in maximum resolution, video pillars for displaying a three-dimensional image, personal communicators with high-quality video.

The future of video communication is tightly tied to existing processor technologies, channel capacities and information display devices. Breakthrough can be solutions at the intersection of technology.

For example, television technologies and VKS, classical VKS and web conferences, VKS and streaming. Experts note that there is a request on the market for SIP, H.323 and WebRTC in one conference, with the ability to connect participants "in one click" and from any device.

Other possible trends include gamification and digital avatars that can moderate meetings according to a prepared scenario. As well as ML and new ways to protect data, for example, using quantum and post-quantum encryption (DION estimate).

2021: Modern videoconferencing: technology trends, innovation, the future

Gartner about modern VKS

The compilers of the Gartner quadrant in the report of October 7, 2021 listed the functional requirements for the VKS system, which are the necessary conditions for the product to enter the magic quadrant. These requirements paint a portrait of the capabilities of the modern VKS system, namely:

• about presentations: all participants of the video conference should see the presentation shown by the participant of the communication session;
• about the desktop or application: the speaker should be able to share his desktop or application, all participants can see them, but not necessarily directly interact with them or change them;
• about text chat: videoconference participants can exchange text messages in real time with other participants or the speaker, using the instant messaging interface both for private communication of tete-a-tete and for group chat;
• basic security: encryption of data during storage and transfer, password protection of meetings, host controls that show meeting participants, as well as disable, block and remove these participants;
• about audio via VoIP protocol: VKS solutions should make it possible to use the speaker and microphone of a PC and mobile devices;
• about video: the solution should show direct multi-channel video streams of speakers and participants from desktop clients, room systems or mobile devices;
• about browsers: the solution should support the user's browser, and not force him to download a special software application;
• about mobility: the solution should provide support for the exchange of audio, video and content from mobile devices and tablets;
• about digital boards: users participating in a communication session should be able to take notes on public screens using virtual markers and erasers, lines, circles, arrows;
• about reporting: the solution should offer detailed reports on user participation, use of calls, devices and functions (content sharing, video, recording, board) and quality of service indicators;
• about the scale of the video conferencing session: the solution must support at least 100 individual participants;
• about the scale of the webinar: the solution should support the live broadcast of large meetings or webinars with more than 1000 simultaneous participants.

About technological trends

A strong impetus for the development of the VKS was a pandemic, and the basis was the development of broadband communications, specialized open source software, the emergence of a variety of peripheral devices on the market, including mobile ones, with built-in microphones and cameras, and a number of other technologies. Our experts outlined in their comments in which direction the technological development of VKS systems is moving today.

Anton Bugrin, collaboration solutions specialist, Logitech, is among the first to name the trend towards shifting customer requests towards simplicity and versatility. The end user is important for convenience, ease of connection, settings and work with equipment for VKS, says Anton Bugrin. The trend is relevant so that the most ordinary user can work with VKS systems.

It is also worth noting the tendency to equip premises with video communication, initially not intended for this and therefore often not meeting the requirements for the quality of lighting and acoustics, notes Anton Bugrin. The company often faces such problems with customers. Logitech solutions address many of the challenges that arise. Also, to overcome them, technological partners are involved, capable of providing a high-quality picture and sound even in spaces unsuitable for video conferencing.

And the third trend is the "zoo of technology." The pandemic stimulated the transition to openness and high speed of implementation of digital solutions, stated Anton Bugrin. Previously, companies used one platform for communication with the outside world, today they use various platforms.

Today the meeting can be held in Teams, tomorrow - in Zoom, the day after tomorrow - in TrueConf. Accordingly, the task of universality is often so that today you can come to the meeting room and connect to the meeting in one system, tomorrow - in another, the day after tomorrow - in the third, - Anton Bugrin adds to the picture.

Dmitry Odintsov, Development Director of TrueConf, highlights, firstly, the crossing of VKS systems and instant messengers, which increases the availability of system subscribers and gives them equally effective tools for collaboration, both in real time and in the framework of messaging, on all platforms and in meeting rooms. In addition, new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and ultra-high definition (UltraHD or 4K) images are increasingly being used. This improves the quality of live communication, allows, for example, automatic framing, background cutting, noise elimination, speech recognition and logging, translation of foreign speech. The expert also notes a negative technological trend.

The negative trend with which we are actively trying to fight is the creation by vendors of isolated ecosystems with disabilities in docking with the outside world, - explains Dmitry Odintsov.

Many developers of VKS systems are looking today towards adding virtual reality technologies, face recognition, artificial intelligence to their products, says Viktor Petrov, head of the IVA Technologies R&D Center. This is one of the current requests from video conferencing users, the expert emphasizes.

Moving towards combining technologies in one application with a single interface, that is, unified communications products, instead of individual applications for messages, calls, VKS, document collaboration, is the main technological trend, says Nadezhda Alyabyeva, Marketing Director of SPIRIT and VideoMost. In the same line lies the desire to integrate VKS systems with various business applications, a list of contacts, work calendars.

VKS systems and messengers: different, but closer

The banal question of the differences between the VKS system and the messenger caused a lively response from our experts. At the architectural level, in terms of functional capabilities, the differences are huge and fundamental, experts say, but at the same time there is a tendency for the convergence of these products.

Anton Bugrin (Logitech) recalls that the market presents specialized software and hardware video conferencing systems, software VKS, which contain messenger options, and messengers themselves with the possibility of video calling. All these solutions are developing towards video integration and various opportunities for collaboration, the expert states.

All such solutions go in the direction of video integration and collaboration - with documents, in groups, communication, chats, stories in chats, - says Anton Bugrin. - Therefore, at the architectural level, the difference is that the VKS system is traditionally understood as a closed system intended only for video, and applications that include the functionality of video conferencing and collaboration are solutions that must be integrated with different systems.

Dmitry Odintsov (TrueConf) states that these are different technology stacks, communication protocols, communication modes - in real time (VKS) and asynchronous (messenger), different requirements for the quality of connections, to terminal equipment, various accessibility mechanisms, methods of encryption and protection, etc.

Of the general, only the chat interface during the conference and outside it, the expert notes.

Nadezhda Alyabyeva (SPIRIT and VideoMost) recalls the purpose of these products, emphasizing fundamental differences here. Videoconferencing, the expert notes, implies video meetings with a fairly large number of participants, moderation, administration, transmission of additional content, planning, recording broadcasts, etc. The messenger is in demand for quick exchange of short messages, tracking online/offline status, quick calls, short voice communications and long branches of correspondence. At the same time, the expert notes the mutual functional penetration of VKS systems and instant messengers.

Functionality for the enterprise sector is now being migrated to the user application segment and vice versa. This is due to the pandemic and remote work. Messengers integrate with fully functional VKS, and video conferencing platforms add the functionality of messengers. So, VideoMost is already integrated with the InfoTeCS VipNet Connect, ROSCHAT from Informtechnika and Dialog from Sberbank messengers, adds Nadezhda Alyabyeva.

Denis Ageev, Director for the Development and Production of Virtualization and Video Conferencing Systems of JSC NII Scale of the Avtomatika Concern of Rostec State Corporation, draws attention to the inability to determine the location of the servers on which the messengers are located. This does not meet the safety requirements for VKS systems used in state structures and state corporations, the expert states.

Nadezhda Pchelintseva, director of the Network and Telecommunications Equipment department at Marvel Distribution, notes that the messenger does not imply the possibility of using hardware solutions for meeting rooms. She also recalls that these technologies - VKS and messenger - have historically developed from different angles.

The messenger is primarily a chat with later added and limited VKS functions, and the VKS system initially assumed communication using image and sound. It was these characteristics that were fundamental, constantly improved and developed, the expert adds.

Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies) confirms a certain external similarity between the VKS system and the messenger, but at the same time their huge differences, both in purpose and in technical implementation. The task of the messenger is to provide communication with an almost unlimited number of users in the most accessible territory, to satisfy their need for data transfer, the expert notes. This requires infrastructure and communication channels, but the requirements for them are much lower than in the case of VKS, when it is necessary to provide voice and video transmission almost without delay. The addition of voice and video to traditional messengers was the result of the evolution and expansion of their functionality, but with the seeming similarity did not equalize the capabilities with the classical VKS systems, concludes Viktor Petrov.

However, in a modern VKS solution, a messenger or chat is already an almost integral part and de facto has even become a standard, which is dictated by the convenience of this tool, the expert admits.

Device VS software VS cloud

In recent years, there has been a migration of customers towards software, cloud VKS solutions - as stated in many specialized reviews. We decided to check this thesis by asking the relevant question to our experts.

In Russia, the share of those who use cloud VKS solutions is growing, Anton Bugrin (Logitech) confidently states. Today, video communication has become a necessary tool in work, customers want to quickly implement VKS systems with the least investment. With a cloud approach, you do not need to spend resources on infrastructure and server power, you can quickly start using video conferencing. But at the same time, there are a number of customers who cannot afford to use cloud VKS systems, recalls Anton Bugrin, - these are, first of all, government agencies.

For the rapid implementation of VKS, Zoom, Teams solutions are ideal for the least forces, when it is enough to buy a subscription and put a simple VKS solution in the meeting room, for example, Logitech, the expert says. - The big plus of Logitech solutions is compatibility with any manufacturer who has a software client for video conferencing. And recently we received a certificate for Astra Linux, if we talk about operating systems.

Regarding the achievement of the effect of presence (telepresence) in the software VKS, Anton Bugrin stated that software solutions allow you to ensure sufficient video and sound quality. But in order to ensure the necessary quality of communication, not only the platform functionality and the quality of the software client implementation are important, but also the terminal equipment - camera, acoustics, microphones - is important.

Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies) recalls that the opposition of hardware VKS to software is partly artificial, since all VKS systems, in fact, were and remain hardware and software complexes. It was just that at the stage of the formation of this market, Polycom, Cisco, Avaya and other manufacturers offered comprehensive solutions that practically did not require the use of additional computing and network infrastructure. However, in recent years the situation has changed dramatically, the expert admits, partly confirming this thesis.

VKS today is, for the most part, still more a software solution. Naturally, this solution requires serious hardware with certain characteristics for deployment. But today it is not tied to a certain vendor. Moreover, the user of the same cloud VKS does not even suspect on which hardware the system he is using is deployed, the main thing is that there are acceptable communication channels. Therefore, it is quite difficult to talk about maintaining fidelity to hardware systems, from one vendor it is quite difficult for VKS systems, "the expert explains.

Nadezhda Alyabyeva (SPIRIT and VideoMost) lists the reasons why the thesis about migration towards software VKS systems for the Russian market is not always correct:

• there is a real dependence of some customers on hardware VKS, often in government organizations;
• the need to'master the budget';
• misunderstanding that modern software VKS are fully compatible with hardware systems, and they can be used not "instead," but "together."

Dmitry Odintsov (TrueConf) is more categorical than other experts: the migration process has been completed, he believes, and the pandemic has accelerated it very much.

No one keeps fidelity to hardware systems, but they try to ensure compatibility between solutions in meeting rooms and on the ground of employees to the best of their efforts. There are not many examples where exclusively hardware solutions are still actively used, for example, in courts or to communicate with the leaders of our country, he notes.

Denis Ageev (JSC "NII" Scale "Concern" Automation "of the State Corporation) draws attention to the various specifics of the commercial and state segments Rostec. The commercial market is trying to reduce construction costs IT infrastructures and is switching to using cloud technologies and software servers deployed in virtual networks, the expert notes. If we talk about state customers, especially about power structures, then they prefer to use software and hardware complexes, trying to replace imported equipment with domestic one.

Nadezhda Pchelintseva (Marvel Distribution) states that, as a rule, no one stores fidelity to hardware solutions from one vendor, everyone strives to use software solutions to one degree or another.

The largest vendors also take this trend into account and release solutions certified by any cloud VKS service. Hardware solutions have capacity limitations, their scaling entails significant costs and even changes in infrastructure. Software products in this regard are much more flexible and convenient and require lower costs, the expert explains.

As for the "presence effect" (telepresence), not so long ago inherent, as it was argued, only in certain categories of hardware VKS solutions, our experts are unanimous: the hardware solutions no longer have such an advantage.

Today, cloud VKS systems provide 4K video, clear sound without echo and other interference, and there is no lag in technologies from hardware solutions, rather the opposite - software VKS solutions set trends, and artificial intelligence technologies for video processing and adaptation of the media stream to channel throughput in software products make it possible to provide an even better picture in VKS, - Nadezhda Alyabyeva is categorical.

Hardware solutions with telepresence turned out to be unclaimed, said Nadezhda Pchelintseva (Marvel Distribution). Their sales were "extremely low" due to the high requirements for the current infrastructure, which very few customers were ready to develop for the sake of one such VKS system.

Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies) is sure that all modern VKS with regard to the presence effect are "quite wealthy," but clarifies that in order to achieve complete immersion in communication, hardware solutions alone are not enough in principle.

Even with cameras, high-quality microphones, speakers and video panels, you still need a special equipped room with a certain ceiling coating, walls, and suitable furniture. All together this is a very expensive story, there are few such projects, the expert is sure.

About WebRTC

Open WebRTC (web real-time communication) technology is widely used today by developers of VKS systems. It allows you to conduct video and audio sessions using browsers as endpoints, without installing additional software. In addition, this technology allows you to transfer files of any format and messages. This is the second most popular video communication protocol, after the proprietary Zoom. Like any other technology, WebRTC has advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks to the development of this technology, the number of potential VKS terminals has increased dramatically, says Boris Popov (Vinteo). Today, WebRTC "is quite working and does not lose relevance technology" with a number of advantages. Among them, the expert calls ease of use and cross-platform - there are more than a billion computers in the world with browsers that support WebRTC. In classic VKS systems, this technology is also actively used.

In the classic VKS system, the MCU server acts as an effective gateway for pairing a system that combines group terminals that are installed in meeting rooms with a large number of personal VKS terminals, which use computers, tablets and smartphones with WebRTC support, - Boris Popov adds to the picture.

The simplicity of video communication for the end user when using WebRTC technology is also noted by Denis Ageev (JSC "NII Scale" Concern "Automation" of the State Corporation Rostec). He states that the technology has prospects and clarifies that from the point of view of WebRTC development it requires a higher level of engineering training of specialists.

Dmitry Odintsov (TrueConf) confirms the popularity of the technology. He recalls that using WebRTC, Google has provided the ability to connect to users unauthorized on the corporate network, using personal devices and without installing VKS applications. At the same time, the expert draws attention to the likelihood of problems with the video service after updating the browser.

The ability to join the video meeting from the browser may disappear after the Chrome update is released. Then the developers of the VKS system will need time to support new policies and ensure the operability of the video service. Therefore, we always recommend that users use more reliable client applications for laptops and smartphones, the expert clarifies.

Today, WebRTC is actively developing and in great demand, says Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies).

This technology has allowed many companies to take place. Moreover, today it has no full-fledged analogues. However, I do not exclude that after some time a new technology may appear that will take over all the advantages of WebRTC, correct its shortcomings, and then they may forget about this protocol, the expert clarifies.

Nadezhda Pchelintseva (Marvel Distribution) is sure that it is too early to write off WebRTC, because many vendors have this technology as a basic function.

As for the prospects, we can expect the development of WebRTC in the direction of supporting increasingly high-quality images and voice processing. At the same time, the technology is likely to remain a communication channel that is as undemanding to the technical characteristics of the device as it is now, adds Nadezhda Pchelintseva.

Cloud VKS Services and Security

Distrust of public cloud solutions is still observed in various segments of the IT market, especially among large customers and representatives of the state segment, but the demand for clouds is growing. In the VKS market, things are similar: there is a demand for cloud VKS services, distrust in terms of use security, too, but these issues are gradually being removed, and a culture of consumption of cloud services is being formed.

Distrust of the clouds is justified, says Nadezhda Alyabyeva (SPIRIT and VideoMost), because the risks of leakage of important corporate information, unauthorized access to information constituting a state secret, loss of user data are still relevant.

A good example is the recent glitch on Facebook and WhatsApp, when information about the sale of user data on the dark web almost instantly appeared, which caused huge concern for users. Nevertheless, government agencies still use unsafe cloud messaging and VKS products, which can easily be accessed by unauthorized users, the expert says.

Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies) recalls that public service providers are constantly working on security issues, increasing the security of their services and solutions themselves, introducing modern encryption tools.

To the question whether large business and government structures use cloud VKS, I can answer unequivocally "yes," the expert notes. - But it all depends on the specific situation. If we are talking about a large conference or an open seminar, this is one story, and if a closed meeting or discussion of documents under the heading "SS" is completely different. In both cases, the VKS can be cloud, but in the first it can be deployed in the public cloud, and in the second and third - in a closed corporate circuit.

Nadezhda Pchelintseva (Marvel Distribution) confirms that distrust of cloud solutions exists. This is due to the fact that there are various legal subtleties, the culture of their use has not yet been formed.

However, the situation will change over time, as happened with IP telephony a decade and a half ago: at first this approach seemed too unreliable and unsafe, and now this is a standard solution. Given the pace at which information security is developing, we will see changes in attitude towards cloud VKS solutions soon, - Nadezhda Pchelintseva is sure.

About VKS mobility

Mobility is so important that it has become a common place everywhere, including in the case of video conferencing, and in a pandemic, the trend towards mobility has become so important that it goes into the category of basic functions of any VKS system, our experts say.

Boris Popov (Vinteo) states that in the first wave of the pandemic after the introduction of the self-isolation regime, the distribution structure of VKS subscribers changed.

Using the example of our company: before the pandemic in the structure of VKS subscribers Vinteo , 60-65% fell on customers with typical hardware codecs - as a rule, leading foreign VKS manufacturers, and 25-30% on customers with software clients or mobile devices, the expert outlines the situation. - The self-isolation regime has made significant adjustments. The vast majority of subscribers, when participating in VKS sessions, switched to software clients for personal computers and mobile devices, the number of simultaneous conference participants increased sharply. With standard codecs, no more than 10-15% of subscribers from large meeting rooms and meeting rooms remained.

Boris Popov recalls the main advantage of professional-class VKS systems, which also works in the case of mobility: in addition to ensuring the scale and high quality of images with resolution up to 4K and 8K, this is the possibility of legal combined connection of participants.

Users from any personal gadgets can connect to the video conferencing session while at home, users from conference rooms and studios, as well as codecs. Another important aspect is the use of telepresence class VKS systems of international technological standards allows them to connect to solutions from any manufacturer, ensuring compatibility even with foreign platforms, which ensures trouble-free cross-border video consultations, the expert adds.

Nadezhda Alyabyeva (SPIRIT and VideoMost) also states that many times more employees now work remotely than 2-3 years ago, so you need to have access to the VKS from any location and any network. Viktor Petrov (IVA Technologies) confirms: without a mobile client, no one needs a VKS system today, "you just won't sell it."

Anton Bugrin (Logitech) adheres to a more cautious assessment of the situation with mobility. In his opinion, the ability to connect through mobile devices did not become a total customer requirement for the VKS. But it all depends on the specific business processes of the customer, at the same time he explains, and for some mobility is a mandatory requirement.

"Today, most VKS services allow you to realize mobility," says Anton Bugrin. - Logitech has experience in creating mobile complexes for video communication, which are convenient to transform and move to different premises. GC "Computers and Networks" in partnership with Logitech equipped 57 medical institutions of Yakutia with mobile racks with the possibility of video conferencing "

About Innovation and the Virtual Future

Among the innovative technologies behind which the future of VKS, our experts call video compression optimization, new technologies for personality identification, augmented and virtual reality. Experts consider robots with a built-in VKS system to be nothing more than an experiment that is not sufficiently used in practice.

Anton Bugrin (Logitech) suggests that radically video conferencing will not change, and the development of the VKS will follow the path of creating a comfortable and simple user experience. Another trend of the future: an increasing penetration of artificial intelligence technologies into VKS solutions, which will reduce or eliminate the need for IT specialists, simplify user interaction with them - in this direction, the expert adds, another trend is hidden: integration of VKS systems with voice assistants.

VKS platforms will be supplemented with functionality that makes the user's work comfortable, - predicts Anton Bugrin. - For example, Logitech now offers the Scribe market - a solution for broadcasting from "whiteboards." Our cameras have built-in artificial intelligence that allows you to best recognize and broadcast without distortion of the circuit on a white background. For the user, this may seem commonplace, but behind the implementation of such pieces is the tremendous work of developers, engineers and other product specialists.

Nadezhda Alyabyeva (SPIRIT and VideoMost) recalls that the volume of video transmitted is growing, as is the volume of video conferencing sessions that are recorded and stored. Therefore, the future lies with those technologies that are associated with optimizing video compression and efficient storage, the expert concludes. Future super-VKS systems Nadezhda Alyabyeva presents as full-fledged virtual worlds where you can move around and enter into contact with other people with the effect of presence through your digital twin (avatar).

Boris Popov (Vinteo) draws attention to the prospects for the introduction of smart innovations in terms of identity identification and content management, including biometrics and speech decoding, meeting logging and automatic task setting based on such protocols, and a number of other technical innovations.

The VKS system of the future will become intelligent, speech and image recognition will be widely used, the provision of services in the cloud, stereo, as well as 3D- or holographic images will appear, the expert adds to the picture.

The fact that the possibility of using virtual and augmented reality tools during video conferencing will significantly expand the scope of the Aerospace Forces, says Denis Ageev (JSC "NII Scale" Concern "Automation" State Corporation Rostec). And he sees the future VKS system as affordable, easy to configure, when implementing and using a system with super-removable sound, which supports 4K, as well as the ability to use voice commands, including his messenger, and providing high quality communication with minimal requirements for communication channels.

The future of VKS Nadezhda Pchelintseva (Marvel Distribution) presented the most integrated and large-scale.

Probably, it will be something like a global universal VKS system, into which existing services using a single standard will be combined, the expert predicts. - This will allow the user of conditional Zoom to easily contact the user of conditional MS Teams or any other service.

2017

A very interesting situation has developed on the Russian VKS market. Some experts among the main trends in the market call migration to software VKS and the demand for cloud video conferencing services. At the same time, a number of specialists note opposite trends. According to them, a number of customers continue to be cautious and distrustful of the VKS according to the SaaS model, and prefer traditional hardware video conferencing systems.

Migration to Software Solutions

The VKS market is migrating towards software solutions in terms of infrastructure.

On the one hand, there are completely new companies that are developing their own multi-point conference servers and solutions of a similar level. On the other hand, vendors that were previously known precisely thanks to video conferencing equipment focus on software solutions for VKS.

This is because many customers already have their own IT infrastructure on which to deploy these software solutions. Even companies that are considered "trendsetters" in telecommunications - for example, Cisco - do this, says Maxim Kirsanov, head of telecommunications solutions at Softline.

It is also worth noting that now large customers are running out of service life of hardware VKS systems and the trend for "iron" video conferencing solutions is declining, "adds Yegor Voitanik, head of communications at Trueconf.

Demand for Cloud VKS

The IT industry has already developed a steady demand for cloud services, and the VKS market is no exception. However, despite the growing popularity of this direction, the SaaS model is not always perceived positively.

According to Denis Chernoskov, director of the system integration department of Korus Consulting Group, it is often more comfortable for a large corporation to use video conferencing as a service and not invest in infrastructure.

Sometimes this is dictated by financial reasons: to transfer capital expenditures to operating costs and not to "hang" equipment on itself, which will become obsolete in 3-5 years and will become a dead weight for the company, he says.

Vladislav Peregudov, chief project engineer of the Asteros group, believes that the need to reduce costs will become one of the drivers of the mass transition from hardware to a virtual environment.

A situation is likely when customers will consolidate requests for the purchase of VKS services from providers, or begin to build their own platforms based on virtual solutions, - said the representative of Asteros.

Andrei Sviridenko, Chairman of the Board of Spirit, calls the transition from heavy equipment and software and hardware implementation on the territory of the customer (on-premium) to clouds the main trend in the global VKS market.

Video communication is increasingly becoming a service, and the user can put the VKS in his pocket, along with a smartphone, and go about his business, "says Spirit CEO.

According to Alexei Gromakov, Director of the Department for Development and Management of Solutions at NVision Group, customers do not seek to develop already implemented VKS systems, and those who develop more often do so using software solutions, including through the MCU.

There is a clear reference point for cloud services and an increase in interest in domestic products, says Gromakov.

Leonid Zhestev, leading engineer of the Multimedia Systems and Video Conferencing department of Lanit-Integration, also speaks about the growth of SaaS's share. However, according to him, this model has a certain psychological barrier.

Maxim Umetbaev, head of LED and VC at Polymedia, speaking about the course on the development of cloud services for almost all manufacturers, recalls that not all customers perceive this innovation with positive.

State customers, power structures and large businesses are concerned, first of all, with information security and data security. And in connection with the difficult foreign policy situation, these requirements for everyone become even more important, he notes.

Mobility

Mobility is the trend that is observed everywhere. With the development of smartphones and tablets, as well as communication technologies, VKS on mobile devices becomes commonplace, but at the same time a necessary service.

It is important for the customer that their employees are available for video conferencing at any time and regardless of location. Therefore, ensuring the availability of connection to video conferencing from mobile devices - smartphones and tablets is one of the priority tasks, - says Maxim Kirsanov from Softline.

Mikhail Nikiforov, head of video conferencing at CROC, adds that recently a large number of mass solutions for conducting video conferencing sessions using mobile devices have begun to appear on the Russian market. The reason for this was the active development of the mobile Internet and the presence of software VKS clients.

Change in attitude towards domestic VKS

Import substitution is one of the main trends in the Russian IT market. However, in the VKS segment, the movement towards replacing foreign solutions has just begun.

When the judicial department of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation or another large state customer acquires VideoMost or another domestic VKS decision for $10 million, instead of Polycom, then it can be stated that import substitution in the VKS began to work. In the meantime, Polycom, Cisco, Avaya, Huawei continue to work and purchase from large state-owned clients, and domestic companies, of course, did not get better because the Americans were changed to the Chinese, "notes Andrei Sviridenko, Chairman of the Board of Spirit.

In addition, Andrei Sviridenko gives an example of the work of Microsoft Corporation in the Russian public sector. According to him, for many government customers, Microsoft actually remains the corporate standard, within which Americans offer their large customers in Russia Skype for Business for almost free of charge. Domestic suppliers of VKS solutions do not have a place here either, he says, adding that the attitude towards domestic developers on the part of state-owned clients has changed for the better.

Before the announcement of the import substitution policy, we were simply not seen point blank, and now we, at least, began to be noticed, tested, given to read the terms of reference, since FOIV now, according to the law, it is necessary to write a reasoned justification for the choice in favor of an import solution. TK competitions are often written in order to prevent domestic products from further than nominal participation in the tender. Therefore, - yes, there is a positive movement in terms of import substitution and even certain real transactions in the regions, simply because they can no longer afford to buy an import solution in the regions - budgets have been reduced, but in Moscow, foreign vendors, their partners and their corrupt officials do not yet give major tenders to domestic manufacturers, "says the chairman of the board of Spirit.

Denis Chernoskov, director of the system integration department of Korus Consulting Group of Companies, believes that today Russian products are far from "monsters" such as Cisco and Polycom, but in terms of the basic set of services they can already compete in the Russian market.

Both the economic situation and the trends towards the development of more flexible and economical software solutions of the Aerospace Forces play in favor of domestic products, explains Chernoskov.

Distrust of cloud systems and preference for on-premise VKS solutions

Despite the growing demand for cloud solutions, some customers remain conservative, preferring VKS on-premium, i.e. installed on the company's own resources.

Maxim Kirsanov, head of telecommunications solutions at Softline, says there are two reasons for this. First, the customer does not want to release the video stream outside his own network, since this can lead to unnecessary loading of external communication channels. The second is that especially conservative customers do not yet fully trust cloud solutions and prefer to keep traffic inside their secure network.

Fidelity to hardware VKS

Some customers remain loyal to hardware VKS systems and do not want to change them to software.

Vladislav Peregudov, chief project engineer of the Asteros group, notes that, despite the economic and technological advantages, customers are in no hurry to massively switch to virtual analogues of infrastructure equipment.

Among the obvious reasons are the lack of its own data centers or server infrastructure suitable for software deployment, a lack of qualified operating personnel, and internal bureaucratic unreasonable obstacles to accepting the purchased licenses. Thus, classic hardware platforms are still more trusted among Russian customers. The use of software infrastructures is rather the lot of individual advanced companies with a high level of IT maturity, the expert believes.

Mikhail Nikiforov, head of video conferencing at CROC, notes that customers cannot yet completely refuse hardware VKS solutions, because professional equipment - a codec or a VKS hardware terminal - provides high quality audio and video data transmission, as well as additional IT tools for collaboration.

Unified Communications

Another trend of recent years is unified communications (UC) - a single platform that combines all means of remote communication and interaction.

The user should be able to call a colleague's individual VKS terminal from his smartphone, and then, having talked with him, one click to connect the third participant on the ip-phone, the fourth with the software client on the work PC, and so on. It is important to be able to transform the session of two participants into a cross-platform conference without breaking the current session, to see the presence status of potential participants, to be able to work together on any content. Everything should be fast and simple, - says Maxim Umetbaev, head of LED and VC at Polymedia.

Other trends

Among other market trends, it is worth noting the increased availability of video conferencing tools.

If earlier the VKS was used by a select circle, then in recent years it has definitely become more accessible. WebRTC technology has opened the possibility of connecting to the service without any additional software client, - notes Alexey Gromakov, Director of the Development and Solution Management Department of NVision Group.

Maxim Kirsanov from Softline sees infrastructure simplification as another trend.

If earlier VKS solutions of large vendors were a complex of individual devices, which was not easy to figure out, now everything is limited to either one hardware "unit," or even a software MCU, on which all client devices are installed, he says.

Maxim Umetbaev from Polymedia, one of the important trends calls the influence of political trends on the Russian IT business:

For example, sales restrictions by Western manufacturers and a launched counter-process - import substitution. In this regard, the demand for Russian video conferencing systems and UC, as well as for products of Asian manufacturers, is increasing.

Vladislav Peregudov, chief project engineer of the Asteros group, also speaks of a significant increase in demand for Asian VKS solutions. In addition, he names two more trends that operate on the market - new licensing models for video conferencing solutions and the focus of vendors on the so-called huddle rooms.

The first trend is associated with another way to reduce costs. In particular, some manufacturers already have licenses for VKS infrastructure solutions for a certain time period, and some customers have assessed the effectiveness of this approach - the "eternal possession" scenario does not suit everyone in terms of the CAPEX/OPEX ratio.

The second trend is huddle rooms. These are small meeting rooms equipped with a universal means of communication with wide possibilities for the user. Their number around the world is estimated at 30-50 million units. The emergence of this type of negotiations is due to the desire of business owners/customers to reduce the cost of renting space: for example, to make 2-3 negotiations, the loading of which will be more efficient, more profitable than to create a large conference room tailored for one task.

This largely explains the appearance on the market of all-in-one solutions designed for this type of premises and combining an affordable price with high technical characteristics. We are talking about VKS terminals containing in a compact case all elements of the classic VKS set - a camera, a microphone. By the way, in some examples, the terminal electronics and microphone are built into the camera body. Currently, such solutions are in the lines of both Western manufacturers (Cisco - SX10, Polycom - Debut) and Asian (Huawei TE-30), - says Vladislav Peregudov.

2016

Growing demand for Russian VKS and clouds

For 2016, VKS is an everyday communication tool for most enterprises and government agencies that helps to optimize costs and increase process efficiency. The main deterrent for projects is the high cost of products - and here domestic, more affordable, developments are gaining an increasing advantage, which are no longer inferior in quality to world leaders.

SPIRIT believes that, despite the high technological level of Russian software products for video conferencing, many large corporations and state organizations of the Russian Federation continue to purchase more expensive products of foreign production simply "out of habit." And domestic companies need just the opposite - the formation of the habit of buying Russian and the acceleration of the pace of implementation of the import substitution policy and the transition to Russian software.

Given the reduction in customer budgets and the objective need to use more cost-effective solutions, demand priority is shifting to software solutions and cloud services. However, at this time, the share of customers using traditional hardware solutions still exceeds the share of those who are switching to software or cloud alternatives. According to TAdviser, it is in favor of software and cloud solutions that the growth trend in the VKS market is expected to continue in the coming years.

The global trend of globalization and mobility is also relevant for the Russian VKS market. Software video conferencing is practically the only possible solution for managing numerous branches in various regions and monitoring personnel working remotely. Equipping each new workplace with expensive hardware VKS terminals and a newly opened office hundreds of kilometers from the capital's headquarters becomes economically unreasonable, according to the. SPIRIT

Moving From Individual Applications to Unified Communications

"Today we are witnessing a transition from individual applications to unified communications, and in order to successfully compete in the VKS market, it is not enough to simply provide high video and sound quality," comments Andrei Sviridenko, SPIRIT CEO. "The development of 4G mobile networks and the widespread use of smartphones to access office and communication applications create new opportunities for the development of the video conferencing market."

The main emphasis when choosing a VKS system is the functionality of the solution. In recent years, it has been significantly expanded by most vendors. An increasing trend is the ability to use mobile devices during video conferencing sessions.

"Recently, there have been qualitative changes in the market," said Dmitry Odintsov, Development Director of TrueConf. - Customers consider video communication as part of the integrated communications platform, which poses additional tasks for the VKS systems to organize collaboration in addition to the video communication itself. The customer is increasingly looking for an inexpensive simple solution, putting the cost of the system first. In this regard, an important criterion when choosing a VKS system is the possibility of independent deployment in order to save money on integrator services. "

Ensure compatibility with other IT systems

Technical problems, complexity of working with systems remain negative factors for the development of the VKS market in Russia. In addition, it is important that the VKS adapt well to operate in conditions of poor communication channels. An additional problem is the integration of VKS with other corporate systems, including business applications, PBXs, etc. An important advantage here is the presence of standard protocols.

"Compatibility with

existing VKS equipment and infrastructure is of particular importance to customers. There are more and more solutions that can provide interoperability and interconnectivity, so additional requirements are ease of administration and management, ease of scaling, the ability to implement and apply VKS throughout the organization. And also the presence of related services - for example, audio conferencing, the ability to make audio and video calls from corporate sites, additional communication capabilities and elements of the unified communications environment, "explains Vladimir Karpenko, senior expert at Mind

.

Today, this developer is focused on improving compatibility with third-party hardware and software solutions, developing product administration tools, and introducing technological innovations such as SVC.

In turn, TrueConf in 2016 is focused on providing a single software platform for all real-time communications: chats, audio conferences and video conferencing. It should also include collaboration tools and be compatible with all existing customer IT systems.

"SPIRIT offers VideoMost - a video conferencing product with a wide range of functionality and a set of tools for collaboration, integrated with leading domestic ones, and EDMS providing compatibility with previously purchased hardware VKS solutions from large foreign vendors," explains Andrey Sviridenko. - Cloudy the service VideoMost SaaS is offered by telecom operators,,, etc. Rostelecom Transtelecom MTS" Kazakhtelecom

SPIRIT and Mind agree that one of the key trends in the video conferencing market remains the preservation of already made investments in the VKS infrastructure. In the coming years, growth here will be due primarily to more economical and flexible deployment and scaling of software solutions, Mind notes. From the point of view of replacing and expanding the VKS infrastructure, customers are increasingly focused on the functionality of the classic multi-point video conferencing server (MCU) for significantly less money.

2014

Software VKS displace hardware

In 2014, the Russian videoconferencing software market grew amid a decline in hardware sales. video conferencings The decrease in interest in the latter is explained by a significant difference in cost with already comparable functionality and video quality. At the same time, there is a higher adaptability of software, AEROSPACE FORCES including the ability to integrate with other applications and portals.

Considering that the use of video resources in interpersonal communications is growing (webinars, distance learning courses are becoming the usual norm of life), the emergence of relatively inexpensive software solutions at this stage looks very attractive, says Alexey Ulyashkin, head of the project bureau of Delait 2000.

More and more people can use the high-quality VKS service from home or from a mobile device, the Ai-Teko company notes - in turn, this gives greater mobility and the ability to work remotely for company employees and the opportunity for large companies and banks to provide advice to their clients using VKS and creating virtual receptions. Thus, they increase the confidence of their customers, reducing waiting times in queues and developing the business.

Small and medium-sized businesses are showing increasing interest in VKS - in particular, they are attracted by cloud services for conducting operational video broadcasts and working together with documents.

Privacy protection

Users of software VKS, dominated by large corporations and government organizations, are becoming more and more demanding in matters of privacy protection. This is reflected in the rejection of products based on Google software, or services such as Skype, in favor of more secure and managed solutions.

Cloud VKS services

Alexey Matytsyn, Head of Corporate Business Products at MegaFon, believes that the development of cloud platforms will have a significant impact on the VKS market in the near future. For many enterprises, connecting to a cloud VKS service from an operator or service provider is an ideal solution: there are no even minimum starting costs for equipment, the service is guaranteed by a telecom operator, is available from anywhere for all full-time and remote employees, does not require the cost of maintaining the system and technical specialists to maintain it, and flexibly scales depending on the needs of the company.

Polymedia experts also note the global trend in the spread of cloud technologies - the transfer of the entire infrastructure to providers and the use of VKS as a service. In addition, all leading manufacturers of VKS systems are transferring their infrastructure solutions to virtualized platforms - these systems are more reliable and easier to operate, and can also be deployed and launched much faster.

I-Teco confirms that many companies provide such services in the Russian Federation. Numerous Western companies compete with them. The growth of competition, according to experts, should lead to a decrease in the cost of services and to the expansion of the VKS market in Russia.

Mobility

Video technology reflects the main trends in the IT industry as a whole - including mobility and the use of personal mobile devices. The rapid growth of technologies allows you to get a fairly high-quality video conferencing using your smartphone or tablet, while being anywhere - an office, hotel or even a taxi.

"Mobile video conferencing technologies based on VKS software solutions are gaining momentum, they will soon become available to employees of all levels of the company," comments Aleksei Korolyov, CEO of Mind. - Modern technologies allow you to create very high-quality mobile products. Such VKS applications provide ultra-high quality audio and video communication, comparable to the communication quality of hardware solutions. Video conferencing will not be tied to the venue of the meetings, but to the mobile device of the participants. There can be several devices: a home personal computer, a tablet, an office laptop and a smartphone - from any of them you can join the conference. In fact, this is the embodiment of the concept of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) - "Bring your own device."

Simplification and Availability

TrueConf experts note that VKS are becoming more mainstream and affordable solutions - their implementation no longer requires expensive MCUs that are successfully replaced with software solutions with support for scalable video coding (SVC). Now customers prefer cloud services and equipment rental.

Alexey Matytsyn (MegaFon) also talks about expanding the scope of the VKS, the development of VKS systems for mass use and the emergence of new models of doing business through video technologies. The operator associates this trend with an increase in bandwidth in mobile networks (4G, 4G +) and the emergence of new VKS solutions/technologies related to remote presence. For example, telepresence robots, 3D VKS and hologram VKS undoubtedly give a positive look into the future on the development of remote video communication technologies, according to the company

.

It is also noted that the cost of terminal equipment of the VKS (video terminals) is reduced while reducing the requirements for the data transmission channel for the VKS.

In addition, Alexey Matytsyn believes that the model of "VKS as a service" from a telecom operator, when a single entry point (in fact, the operator) is responsible for communication channels, control/monitoring of the VKS infrastructure, which is located in the provider's data centers and remote support for terminal equipment (video terminals). It is expected that the share of such services will grow in the total market share of VKS. Today, three telecom operators have such service models in Russia: MegaFon, Beeline and Orange Business Services.

In general, the VKS is today considered as a serious tool to improve business efficiency, which should bring tangible returns. These technologies are no longer a tribute to fashion and are not just a means of saving travel costs, they comment in Delight 2000. Today, this is a means of organizing collective work and making decisions, and the main trend is that the VKS turns from "things in itself" into one of the components of other solutions - a video infrastructure that includes a system of united communications and a corporate video resource management system (Enterprise video Resource Planning, or EvRP).

See also

• VKS (main section on TAdviser)
• Russian VKS Systems Market
• Video Conferencing and Telepresence Solutions (Global Market)
• Video conferencing innovations
• VKS developer rating in Russia 2016