DEV Community: Vlada

A brief history of video conferencing. Part 2: From commercial premium service to "pocket" technology

Vlada — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:47:34 +0000

The origin and development of video conferencing as we know it today occurred in the 20th century, the era of bold experiments in communications that were not always successful. The extremely high cost and the vague prospect of using video conferencing technologies posed major challenges to its advancement. It was only towards the late 1980s, when PCs and the Internet transitioned from novelty to commonplace, that video conferencing began to flourish, entering a period often referred to as its "golden age" that continues to the present time.

The beginning of the video conferencing revolution

Video communication as we know it took shape in the early 1990s, a period directly related to the spread of the Internet and integrated services digital networks (ISDN). Given the relatively high costs of computers and the Internet access back then, developers were driven to leverage the full potential of the devices, including within the realm of video conferencing, despite the lack of readily available hardware infrastructure for widespread user adoption and advancement.

During that period, video conferencing was accessible through two types: corporate software and hardware systems and PC-based solutions designed for private use. Implementation of video conferencing systems within a corporate setting required substantial investments in hardware components such as video cameras, compression and decompression software, ISDN connection interfaces, and much more — they were all located in specifically equipped conference rooms and operated using protocols developed by the International Telecommunications Union.

Video conferences for personal communication were conducted using a PC with an inexpensive webcam, audio input and output devices, and an installed video conferencing application connected to the Internet. However, these systems were deemed unsuitable for corporate environments, as they lacked sufficient image and sound quality and lagged in data transmission owing to network bandwidth limitations.

By that time, the benefits of visual contact provided by video communication had already been appreciated by specialists from diverse fields — doctors, engineers, politicians, and scientists around the world. In the early 2000s, the United Nations used video conferencing during the trials of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, while in the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission embraced innovative technologies for conducting debates and meetings.

In 2001, during military operations in Afghanistan, Nick Robertson, a CNN international correspondent, conducted the first live broadcast using satellite video conferencing technology. Following this milestone, journalists leveraged the technology to transmit live video reports from Afghanistan to their headquarters for redistribution.

Since 2002, video relay services (VRS) for people with hearing impairments have been developed in the United States. Sorenson Media Inc., known for its video compression software, introduced an autonomous videophone for displaying video images on the screen, enabling those with hearing and speech challenges to communicate through sign language.

Video communication builds a new reality

From the beginning of the 21st century, video communication has surged in popularity, serving as a prevalent tool for both business and personal purposes. In this period, Skype, a free platform for video and audio communication, experienced widespread adoption. Skype's "golden era" extended from 2003 to 2019. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant increase in the use of video conferencing platforms, with Zoom emerging as the dominant choice in the private sector.

During the 2010s, prominent video conferencing developers like Zoom, Lifesize Cloud, Google Hangouts, and Google Duo introduced a new concept known as "cloud-based" video communication. This innovative approach resonated with the prevailing trends and enabled the maximization of emerging technologies. Instead of maintaining communications data on the company's physical servers, these solutions stored the information in the distributed centers managed by the service providers.

By adopting this model, the costs associated with video conferencing solutions were significantly reduced, streamlining their usability. Tasks such as data storage, server maintenance, scalability, and system upgrades were now handled by the video conferencing providers, freeing customers from these concerns. However, this shift also introduced inherent disadvantages of cloud services, including a lack of direct control over the infrastructure and heightened data security concerns, as sensitive information resided on third-party systems.

The early 2010s witnessed a series of remarkable achievements in the field of video conferencing. In 2011, Cologne hosted the longest live broadcast, while on May 19, 2013, Daniel Hughes from Britain, achieved a groundbreaking feat by making a video call to the BBC from the peak of Mount Everest using his smartphone. Another significant event took place on December 12, 2012, during the largest telephone forum organized by the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, where 2 million calls were logged. Fast forward to 2015, Alex Weber and Rob Moore made history by setting a new world record for the longest continuous video call, maintaining their connection for 14 consecutive days.

At ISE 2014, TrueConf, an award-winning East European communication technology company, unveiled a pioneering video conferencing in 4K Ultra HD resolution. Subsequently, the developer released point-to-point video calls with this resolution, including even on smart TVs. Alongside TrueConf, Lifesize also played a pivotal role in advancing 4K video conferencing technology with the introduction of their Ultra HD video conferencing system, Lifesize Icon 700™.

TrueConf video conferencing in 4K resolution. Source: https://trueconf.com/

Since the mid-2010s, there has been a growing need for platforms that go beyond video communication to provide a comprehensive suite of tools including shared documents, file storage, and various collaboration features. Microsoft introduced its Teams solution in 2016, which quickly emerged as a frontrunner in this domain by integrating messaging, meetings, notes, and document sharing within a unified workspace. This shift has resulted in the phasing out of its predecessors, such as Office Communicator 2007 and Lync, with Microsoft Teams positioned to eventually replace corporate Skype for Business in the foreseeable future.

Smartphones, messengers, and video conferencing

Similar to other contemporary technologies, video conferencing has progressed beyond dedicated video conferencing hardware and desktops, expanding into full-fledged applications for smartphones. To comprehend this transformation, it is essential to reflect on its history: back in November 1996, the Israeli company Mirabilis introduced the ICQ application, offering mobile device users a groundbreaking capability — real-time instant messaging without the need for sending SMS.

The innovation was approved by both users and developers: Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger by Microsoft debuted in 1998 and 1999, followed by Apple's iChat and Facebook Chat in the 2000s. These applications underwent enhancements, and by the early 21st century, they provided users with online communication, file and image sharing, personal and group chats. A pivotal moment in this advancement was marked by the inception of the mobile application WhatsApp in 2009, which swiftly rose to prominence and by 2014 had established itself as the leading messaging platform.

The proliferation of laptops and smartphones equipped with built-in cameras, coupled with the widespread access to the high-speed Internet, including mobile networks, facilitated the integration of video conferencing capabilities into mainstream communication platforms. The inception of FaceTime for the iPhone 4 in 2010 marked the beginning of this trend. Subsequently, with the onset of the pandemic, video communication via messaging apps became an mundane thing, as video calling was introduced on platforms such as Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Slack, Snapchat, and even Instagram.

COVID and new outlook

2019 has marked a new beginning for video communication. Research conducted by analytical agencies such as Gartner, Frost & Sullivan, IDC, and others, pinpointed Cisco, Poly/Polycom, Lifesize, Google, BlueJeans, Microsoft Teams (including Skype for Business), Zoom, and TrueConf as the foremost players in the video conferencing industry. Three main categories of video conferencing solutions emerged: hardware and software endpoints and server systems, which are mainly used by enterprises, and cloud services, which are equally applicable for private communication and specific corporate needs.

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Meeting Solutions 2019. Source: https://www.uctoday.com/collaboration/exploring-gartners-magic-quadrant-for-meeting-solutions-2019/

Despite the growing popularity of cloud-based services, users were not yet ready to completely abandon hardware-based meeting room products. Nevertheless, software solutions continued to dominate the market owing to their innovative features such as cost-effective scalability for expanding user bases within enterprises, the capability to transform a PC into a video conferencing server through software, the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) concept enabling the use of personal devices in meeting rooms, and the option to install video conferencing software on PCs and mobile devices, among other advantages.

In response to the evolving needs of modern businesses, there emerged a demand for video conferences tailored for small groups of employees, often dispersed globally, rendering the traditional "everyone in one meeting room" setup inefficient. Boardrooms gave way to more compact meeting spaces for one or a few individuals. This shift precipitated another trend: AV manufacturers started providing all-in-one kits designed for huddle rooms, ensuring compatibility with various software platforms.

The 2020 pandemic led to drastic changes in the video conferencing industry, with remote and hybrid work modes being the main trend. These modes have become deeply ingrained in the corporate environment to such an extent that even post-pandemic, they continue to dominate as the preferred choices for a vast number of employees. This can be mainly attributed to the success of video conferencing technologies which were rapidly adapted to the new circumstances.
The healthcare sector has become a prime domain for the adoption of cutting-edge video conferencing technologies. Medical facilities have leveraged video conferencing services to enable remote collaboration among healthcare professionals, create secure red and green zones within clinics, and sustain ongoing interaction with global colleagues to expedite decision-making during critical emergencies.

Education has also embraced technological advancements: remote learning, online lectures and workshops have become standard practices for both students and teachers. Video conferencing platforms have progressively integrated a myriad of collaboration tools, streamlining the learning experience while preserving crucial aspects of social interaction for students. Nevertheless, the proliferation of video communication in educational environments has raised security apprehensions, culminating in the inception of the term "zoombombing", that referred to unauthorized connection of outsiders with ignoble intentions to the conference.

The unprecedented surge in the adoption of video conferencing has had an impact on economics. Major players like Microsoft, Google, and Cisco have attained significant success on a global scale. During the second quarter of 2020, Microsoft's global revenue from unified communications increased by 19.5% to $4 billion. It took Google many years to make Google Meet a competitive product for team calls and video conferences in 2020. Webex, which was acquired by Cisco Systems in 2007, saw an increase in sales of its solutions to $1.3 billion in 2021.

However, the main “star” of the video conferencing surge turned out to be Zoom, which has become one of the symbols of remote work during the pandemic. According to Apptopia research, on March 11, 2020, the day when the World Health Organization announced the coronavirus pandemic, Zoom was downloaded by 343 thousand people. The popularity of this solution was facilitated by its successful business model, offering four tariff plans, including a free one, making it affordable to a wide range of users.

During the pandemic, the global perception of video conferencing changed: the number of requests for server video conferencing solutions from state-owned companies, law enforcement agencies, large businesses, and medical institutions has increased significantly. This shift was primarily driven by the inadequacy of cloud services to meet high security standards and ensure data storage within the customer's infrastructure, rather than in the provider's data center, as observed with platforms like Zoom, Microsoft, Google, and others.

Self-hosted video conferencing systems emerged as a highly efficient alternative for cloud and hardware solutions, offering the required data security level while also being cost-effective for setting up meeting rooms and individual workplaces. This migration was largely facilitated by their compatibility with existing enterprise communication tools such as PBX, SIP/H.323 endpoints, and video conferencing solutions from various providers.

The high demand for video conferencing solutions prompted developers to respond to customer requirements. Consequently, in response to a 30-fold surge in requests during the COVID-19 era, TrueConf offered its server-based video conferencing platform license free of charge to all organizations. This initiative resulted in the issuance of over 50 thousand licenses, facilitating the connection of a cumulative total of 4 million users.

Nevertheless, even with the myriad benefits of server-based video conferencing systems, cloud-based solutions hold their own significance within the corporate realm. They are predominantly favored by small and medium-sized businesses, along with organizations with relatively lower communication security demands. Moreover, cloud solutions frequently excel in terms of flexibility, scalability, and cost-efficiency, particularly for customers who do not require an extensive video conferencing infrastructure. Therefore, when selecting an appropriate video communication system, customers are advised to prioritize the internal requirements of the company. This strategic approach will assist in making an informed decision regarding the optimal choice between hardware, server-based, and cloud-based solutions.

Despite the lifting of quarantine restrictions, remote communication remains relevant — video conferencing has become a common tool for communication and collaboration globally. The widespread adoption of video conferencing can be attributed not just to the aim of saving time and financial resources, but also to the necessity of adjusting to evolving business landscapes. Advancements in technology drive developers to integrate an expanding array of features into video conferencing services for various scenarios and enhance participant engagement in remote workflows. The findings of sociological studies are clear – despite the pandemic's conclusion, employees are reluctant to return to office spaces, opting instead to work remotely from home.

The journey of kiosks: transforming customer experience

Vlada — Thu, 22 May 2025 14:15:36 +0000

Introduction

It's been almost 50 years since in 1977, the first complex for interactive self-service, which is now known as “kiosk” or “information stand”, was developed. Based on PLATO computer system and therefore named “Plato Hotline”, this device enabled students to access information on extracurricular activities and college courses, as well as view maps, lecture, and bus schedules.

“Plato Hotline” interactive kiosk. Photo provided by The Industry Group (The Evolution of Kiosk Software, 2018)

In the 1980s, the developing of interactive voice response (IVR) technology, that was also used for addressing customer queries using automated menus and pre-recorded messages, prompted the emerging of the first devices to replace personal consultations with innovative and convenient remote self-service kiosks. In 1991, the first interactive touchscreen device with Internet access used to search for missing children in stores and shopping malls was showcased at Comdex computer exhibition.

Self-service kiosks in the transportation industry. Photo provided by Advanced Kiosks (Transportation)

During the next decade, the interactive devices continued to evolve and scale up. Companies started applying kiosks for video rental, buying airline and movie tickets, searching for information in museums and amusement parks, ordering in restaurants, paying in supermarkets, and registering patients in hospitals.

Kiosks for food ordering in Hong Kong. Photo provided by Forbes (Self-Order Kiosks Are Finally Having A Moment In The Fast Food Space, 2019)

With kiosks, customers could perform operational actions themselves, but the lack of personal interaction showed that even self-service needs communication and consultations as most people prefer to interact with a real person.

In parallel with self-service kiosks, video conferencing has become the No. 1 communication standard, replacing real meetings. With the development of the Internet, digital technologies and the increasing demand for convenient and effective ways of communicating and receiving information, companies began to integrate audio and video conferencing into kiosks to improve customer service. This led to the audio and video calls in kiosks starting to appear actively in the middle 2000s.

Telemedicine kiosk for virtual medical consultation (NewYork-Presbyterian, 2017)

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed people's views on the work and communication principles. 24-hour live service support became challenging. The need for constant professional connection and growing number of customers has pushed many industries to embrace using automated options to transform the customer experience and provide a faster client service, comply with social distancing rules and limit personal interaction, cut down long queues and save human resources.

Kiosks have become ubiquitous devices for remote service. Depending on the needs and purposes they can combine online consultations with a specialist, integration of additional peripheral devices, such as RFID readers for POS terminals, document printing, smart queue to name a few.

Besides, leveraging special software developer tools, SDK and API, expand the virtual assistant system capabilities according to the company’s requirements, for example, they help to integrate video conferencing into any existing application.

1. Banking industry

A customer uses TrueConf Kiosk to connect with a bank agent (Banpará Bank, 2017). Photo provided by TrueConf.

All modern spheres of the economy need timely digitalization, especially those that work with a huge number of customers or users. Kiosks have come to the aid of many financial institutions, but with integrated video conferencing, which allows providing bank’s customers with remote services.

This approach enables abandoning the maintenance of entire offices, reduces queues, and provides more privacy in communications between a customer and manager. At the same time, it is much easier for the bank itself to place a mini-branch with video devices and offer 24-hour support by an online consultant center, increasing the response speed.

Kiosks in financial organizations can be customized to the specific tasks, allowing customers to easily connect with a live agent via video-enabled kiosk using video conferencing platforms like Cisco Webex, Google Meet, MS Teams, TrueConf, etc. Such kiosks provide immediate and personalized assistance with advanced collaboration tools, such as file sharing, call recording, credit card reader, bill acceptor, and remote scanning and printing.

An individual digital branch with a 24/7 ATM (Bahrain Islamic Bank, 2017). Photo provided by TrueConf.

The kiosks must be connected to a secure network to guarantee the protection of the bank's customer data, which means they require the use of a corporate video conferencing solution, often on-premises one that does not require a connection to the public Internet and guarantees secure data storage and transfer, as well as protects the safety of payment gateways and sensitive personal information.

2. Manufacturing and healthcare

The staff members of many hospitals, large-scale enterprises, as well as companies with high need for ID verification are prohibited to use their personal smartphones and other gadgets due to different reasons: strict safety and labor protection rules, restrictions connected with COVID-19.

The management looking for digitalized options can integrate special secure video kiosks with RFID/NFC authorization. This protects employees and ensures compliance with stringent security requirements. Two types of access are available to employees, doctors, patients, and customers: general, which allows them to connect to the first available operator in one click, and a secure RFID/NFC authorization, which requires a personalized card or a bracelet with an RFID/NFC tag to get access to the endpoint. The second type of kiosk access includes an emergency call button that can be used without authorization and an individual address book for each person, enabling them to contact management, remote employees, and relatives. Using video conferencing, doctors and medical staff can have an emergency call, a video call for consultation, or a call home from the "red" zone during the observance of quarantine measures.
TrueConf Kiosk Safety Version (SV) with RFID and NFC access control is used in the Bakulev Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery. Photo provided by TrueConf.

Hereby, building a connection bridge between numerous areas with the help of contactless video-enabled kiosks provides an opportunity to isolate “safe” and “red” zones, protect patients and doctors, and prevent the spread of diseases. Moreover, applying digital solutions contributes to faster professional responses and optimizes workload in emergency situations.

3. Airports and stations

The number of passengers, flights, and routes handled by today’s airports and stations increases on a daily basis every year. A new reimagined approach of advising and assisting tourists requires an appropriate transformation to reduce queues, distribute the workload among employees, and improve the quality of services provided.

By implementing self-service kiosks and information panels across the building, airports and stations can digitalize working processes, facilitate customer assistance, and provide service to clients with special needs. This new system is designed for travelers who require immediate help in purchasing tickets, viewing flight, train or bus schedules, and simply finding their way around the building without the need to do extra laps looking for an appropriate consultant.

Additionally, if а video conferencing solution is integrated in such a kiosk, a communication hub between passengers and airport or station employees is created. People are able to contact the remote call center in one click and receive instant personalized multi-language support based on their trip needs and preferences.

Operators can highlight the important information during the content demonstration with an annotation feature and transfer a call to another assistant or even connect an additional person to a video conference for more customer-oriented service.

Cizgi kiosks empowered by TrueConf video conferencing solution are used in Istanbul New Airport to ensure an engaging travel experience. Photo provided by TrueConf.

In the realm of passenger service, an interactive kiosk is a secure, cost-effective, multifunctional, and user-friendly solution. A reliable on-premises software ensures that all call records and sensitive personal information will be stored on your company’s own server and protect your passengers’ data from cyber threats and system failures.

4. Retail and building

The recent dramatic changes in customer care have also affected reselling and building. Now businesses are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance customer experience and boost sales.

The use of video kiosks is revolutionizing the way retailers engage with customers and streamline operations in various settings, from retail stores to a building under construction. Thanks to interactive digital displays powered by video conferencing, customers can receive professional services and connect with companies' representatives without the need to physically visit their offices, or when it is not possible to solve issues via phone. At the same time, it allows the call agents to work remotely.

Israel Electric Corporation implemented digital self-service kiosks with integrated TrueConf video conferencing technology for high-class remote services. Photo provided by TrueConf.

Switching to a comprehensive model for customer care provides optimization to company staff and enhances company attraction: in standby mode, a slideshow with customizable photos (for example, of apartments), a video clip about a residential complex or a company overview can be cyclically played on the video kiosk screen engaging new customers in a two-way conversation. Besides, staff and customers have an opportunity to experience smart queue mode which distributes incoming video calls from different endpoints between free operators.

5. Public events and education

Video conferencing has become the standard of communication and we are the real witnesses of a certain burnout that has appeared. Many vendors are working their best to make our virtual communication more interactive and add the effect of a live presence. There are metaverses and different kinds of VR helmets, but kiosks follow their own path of evolution. Died in 2012 3D video conferencing now gained a second wind. Companies have started to develop huge projects (Logitech Ghost and Google Staarline) for three-dimensional communication, but still there are more versatile solutions.

Technology that utilizes a box with a 4K screen to showcase a full-size hologram eliminates the need for any specialized equipment for projecting a life-sized 3D holographic image of a person in real-time. By changing the design of the box and using 4K video conferencing solutions that enables the delivery of a high-quality video stream to an interactive display, users receive a real holographic video conferencing system that can even fit on their desks.

Along with utilizing such holographic kiosks for immersive communication, they are mostly used in spheres like education or public speaking which require to foster more meaningful and personalized interaction.

Currently, educational institutions around the world collaborate by hosting shared activities like lectures, webinars, and workshops. However, logistical constraints often prevent speakers from being physically present at these events. The participation of numerous speakers and technical personnel in organizing such functions can lead to various challenges and inconveniences.

Immersive video conferencing boxes for photorealistic interaction. Photo provided by TrueConf.

Hence, the technology that fosters ultra-realistic experience plays a pivotal role in facilitating interaction between a presenter situated in a different physical space and an audience. Creating a sense of live interaction with the speaker also increases the level of attention and engagement.

TrueConf Kiosk 4.0: turning any information stand into an interactive video kiosk

Vlada — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 10:32:27 +0000

Meet TrueConf Kiosk 4.0 — a new version of our software aimed at turning self-service terminals, information stands, ATMs, and other devices into full-fledged video kiosks for remote customer service and support in banks, airports, medicine, retail, and other spheres. TrueConf Kiosk is a turnkey solution with an intuitive interface which can be easily customized to suit your brand, needs, and objectives.

List of supported operating systems

Microsoft Windows 7SP1+
Ubuntu 22.04

4K video calls

In the new version of TrueConf Kiosk, we’ve enhanced the quality of video conferencing up to 4K UltraHD in scenarios that require high image detail, for example, for remote display of products or documents.

New UI

In the 4.0 update, we have completely redesigned the interface of our application for information stands and self-service kiosks. Now it has become more modern and corresponds to the general style of our solutions.

TrueConf Kiosk Configurator

You can set up TrueConf Kiosk operation parameters using a special TrueConf Kiosk Configurator application.

Operating modes

TrueConf Kiosk administrators can now switch between two operating modes depending on the required scenario — Interactive kiosk and Reception.

Reception

In this mode, TrueConf Kiosk is opened in full screen where the preset buttons are displayed.
The kiosk administrator can assign the required number of buttons with the following parameters in the Calls section:

Call to a specified user from the address book (Operator)
Call to a group of users — the connection is established with the first free operator who accepts the call (Group)
Call to operators from a given list in turn (List of operators)
Call to a random contact from the address book (Address book).

Interactive kiosk

In this mode, TrueConf Kiosk is hidden under the floating button that is displayed over the Windows and Linux desktop. This allows running images, videos, and other useful materials on the kiosk screen in standby time. You can assign one of the necessary parameters to the pop-up button (similar to the Reception mode), or several different parameters. In this case, pressing the button will open the Reception mode.

Vertical orientation

TrueConf Kiosk 4.0 now has support for vertical orientation. The software for information stands and video kiosks has been adapted for user-friendly work on screens in different orientations.

Branding and customization

You can configure the interface of TrueConf Kiosk in the Appearance section. The administrator can upload a background image and logo, which will be displayed on the main screen of TrueConf Kiosk in full-screen mode.

Remote control of a PTZ camera connected to TrueConf Kiosk

Using TrueConf client applications for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, it is now possible to remotely control PTZ cameras connected to information stands or video kiosks. You can change the angle, zoom in, and adjust the camera from any available device.

TrueConf 3.0 for Android major update: new UI, AI, and messenger improvements

Vlada — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:30:22 +0000

We are glad to present the major 3.0 update for our application for Android. We’ve completely redesigned the interface, added AI for background blurting and replacing, supported the offline access to communications, improved the built-in messenger, and introduced many other enhancements.

New UI

In the 3.0 version, we’ve completely redesigned the interface, making it more modern, concise, and user-friendly.

Easy navigation

We’ve added a user-friendly navigation bar for quick and easy switching between tabs:

contacts
calls
conferences
chats
settings.

Updated conference interface

In TrueConf 3.0 for Android, we’ve updated the video conference and call interfaces according to the general style of the application. Besides, in full-screen mode, an indication of the disabled camera or microphone and a reaction panel are now displayed.

Conference information

To improve the convenience of conference management, we have added a special window with detailed information about the current meeting. In addition to viewing its parameters, you can also extend the сonference and manage the waiting room in the information window.

User profile

In TrueConf 3.0 for Android, we've updated the user's personal profile — it is now divided into several sections:

controls (call, video call, and chat with the user)
user information
call history.

“Settings” menu

Account information and application settings are now combined in one section.

Mobile AI: background blurring and replacing

Users of TrueConf 3.0 Android now have access to a feature that allows them to blur and replace the background during video calls and group conferences without the use of a chroma key. This will enable them, just like PC and laptop users, to work in the comfort of their homes, on the go, and in improvised workspaces. Custom images in .JPEG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP, and .WEBP can be used as virtual backgrounds.

In the Settings — Calls and Conferences section, you can upload up to 8 images, which you can switch with just a couple of taps. To activate the AI, simply select the Virtual background option in the context menu of the control panel.

New messenger features and capabilities

User mentions

The usability of mentions in group and personal chats has been improved — now, when you type text in the @username format, a popup suggestion will appear with search results from your address book contacts based on the characters entered after the @ symbol.

Text formatting

Users of TrueConf 3.0 for Android can now format the text of their messages, making it bold, underlined, strikethrough, and italic. This will allow emphasizing important points and enhance the visual perception of information.

Disabling notifications in selected chats

Starting with TrueConf 3.0 for Android, users can disable notifications in selected chats. You simply need to press and hold the chosen chat, then select the Disable notifications option.

Offline access to messages, contacts, and call history

Users of TrueConf 3.0 for Android can now access messages, contacts, and call history without a network connection. Sent messages are saved in the app with a special status — they will be delivered once the connection is restored.

"Favorites" chat

Similar to desktop applications, TrueConf 3.0 for Android now features the Favorites chat, which can be used as a personal storage for files and useful messages. You can access Favorites in the Settings or from the general chat list.

This feature is available when connected to TrueConf Server 5.4+

”Typing…” status

In the general chat list, as well as in personal or group conversations, the "Typing..." status is now displayed next to the names of users who are currently typing a message.

This feature is available when connected to TrueConf Server 5.4+

Information about reading the message

In a group chat, you can now see which participants read the message you sent.

This feature if available when connected to TrueConf Server 5.4+

Drafts synchronization

Users of TrueConf 3.0 for Android can now resume composing a message they started typing earlier on another device.

This feature if available when connected to TrueConf Server 5.4+

Support for conferences with simultaneous interpretation

TrueConf Server 5.4 introduces a new mode for video conferences with participants speaking different languages. Users of TrueConf 3.0+ for Android can now also select a language track when participating in such conferences.

Support for waiting rooms

In TrueConf Server 5.2.9, we added waiting rooms — a feature that allows users to be placed in a preliminary queue before joining a video conference. Now, managing conferences with waiting rooms is also possible from mobile devices running Android.

On-the-fly meeting time extension and conference end reminder

Starting with TrueConf Server 5.4, the owner and moderators of an event can extend it without interrupting its progress. If the Enable conference time extension option was set during scheduling, users will receive a notification of the upcoming end, and the owner and moderators will have access to the extension button.

Call-to-conference escalation

In TrueConf 3.0 for Android, you can now quickly escalate a point-to-point call into a group video conference. During a video call, a user can simply press the appropriate button on the top control panel and invite new participants.

Content sharing disabling

When joining a video conference on TrueConf Server 5.4 via TrueConf 3.0 for Android, the owner and moderators have the ability to disable other participants' content sharing (slideshow, screen sharing, and video files sharing). This can be done by selecting the corresponding option from the context menu after clicking on the content window or the participant's name in the list.

Selecting an audio source

In TrueConf 3.0 for Android, you can quickly switch between different output sources (headset, phone speaker, and loudspeaker) in the online meeting connection window and during a call.

The Department of Health in Ho Chi Minh City created a video collaboration system based on TrueConf

Vlada — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:22:11 +0000

About organization

The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City specializes in advising and assisting with the management of healthcare sectors such as preventive care, treatment, rehabilitation, and medical examinations. It affiliates more than 100 hospitals, including the City Oncology Hospital, that now examines roughly 3,000 patients on a daily basis.

Challenge

The Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh, the largest city in Vietnam, decided to transform the quarterly medical examination and treatment briefings into online format. They faced the need to digitalize communications and create an online collaboration link among over 100 affiliated hospitals.

The Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, employing a team of highly skilled medical professionals dedicated to fighting cancer, decided to implement its own video communication solution as well. Healthcare workers required real-life collaboration tools that would allow them to coordinate their efforts and select the best form of treatment, reducing the risk of medical errors. Moreover, the hospital actively engages in community outreach programs and collaborates with various international medical institutions and organizations to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. A video communication solution had to help doctors organize workshops, seminars, and campaigns to educate the public about the importance of regular screenings and healthy lifestyle and exchange knowledge, expertise, and best practices in cancer treatment remotely.

Besides, the Department of Health encountered the need to establish medical stations to deliver timely healthcare assistance and consultations to the city's residents and provide them with the immediate emergency care in critical situations. Specialists at these stations should stay in contact with doctors from higher-tier medical institutions, including via video calls and conferences.

For all described cases, the management required an on-premises video collaboration system that will ensure the secure storage of communications data on the organization’s own servers and full control over patients’ confidential information. It should not be accessed by any unauthorized parties or blocked by service providers. Another critical requirement was the top-notch quality — the video conferencing platform should provide high-quality video and audio without lags or disruptions even with unstable connection.

Solution

After the testing process, TrueConf Server was quickly and securely deployed on the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City's premises. It ensured all communications stayed private within the organization, creating the link between the management and affiliated hospitals, while the use of encryption protocols made data breaches completely impossible. Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital initiated the use of TrueConf meeting software to host video conferences and calls with leading specialized and general hospitals and improve internal communication.

Building on this foundation, the Department of Health improved the delivery of healthcare to the patients through the use of digital technologies, and introduced six medical stations operating on the principle of family medicine. At present, stations receive expert support from higher-level hospitals through telemedicine consultations facilitated by TrueConf software, linking doctors at health stations with specialists at hospitals.

TrueConf AI-based client applications for Windows, MacOS, and Linux allowed medical workers to contact other doctors ad hoc or schedule meetings and medical consultations. These opportunities are critical at the time when patients suffer from severe illnesses and need immediate treatment decisions. With TrueConf Server, hospitals’ IT professionals can record video calls and conferences and keep them on the server, thus making patient handover much easier. Medical staff can also capture video from various hardware and use screen sharing and slideshow to view files such as PET-CT or MRI images to establish more accurate diagnoses.

“TrueConf brings premium and proficient online meeting solutions, supporting Vietnamese enterprises, organizations and businesses. Thanks to TrueConf’s interactive tools, communication transcends conventional boundaries, making digital interactions feel as authentic and effortless as face-to-face meetings.”

Mr. Tat Ho, IT Manager of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital

Results

TrueConf video collaboration solution connected more than 100 hospitals in Ho Chi Minh and allowed converting quarterly medical examination and treatment briefings between the Department of Health and hospitals into online mode.

660 employees of the City Oncology Hospital can now collaborate with one another without any barriers, increasing both speed and efficiency of communications. The hospital staff can significantly cut down the number of personal contacts and save valuable working time, thus being more responsive to patients’ needs.

Medical stations function as a cost-effective primary healthcare facility, enhancing the efficacy of delivering health-related aid to citizens, as they no longer have to spend time commuting to the hospitals. They elevate the quality of medical examinations, treatment, and primary healthcare for local residents in a practical and efficient way.

D&A Consulting Group Case Study

Vlada — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:35:55 +0000

About company

D&A Consulting Group is a consulting firm that specializes in providing strategic advisory services for businesses across various sectors in France. They offer a range of services including business strategy development, organizational transformation and operational improvement.

Challenge

D&A Consulting Group embarked on a mission to uplift and support women’s mental health and decided to create a project "Femme Audacieuse & Femme Ambitieuse". This initiative aimed to provide a safe environment for women to openly discuss their concerns, seek guidance, and connect with the like-minded.

D&A Consulting Group recognized the importance of maintaining a video collaboration solution for the "Femme Audacieuse & Femme Ambitieuse" project to establish a digital space and connect women from different regions of France without the need for personal presence.

The decision to conduct online consultations and group therapies was also driven by the fact that patients can tell about their problems and worries from the comfort of their homes or workplaces. The online service was based on Google Meet and Zoom, but then it was decided to shift all communications to an on-premises platform, which would guarantee full control over the system and top-notch security without the possibility of third-party access to sensitive communications.

Solution

After the research, D&A Consulting Group applied to TrueConf’s official representative in France who helped to create a secure digital environment for women to share their stories and receive professional psychological support. By leveraging TrueConf's high-level security features, the project ensures that confidentiality and privacy are prioritized at every step of the consultation process. Patients can engage in consultations without the fear of privacy breaches or hacker attacks.

The psychologist utilizes 2 virtual rooms — one for private consultations and another for group therapies for up to 30 participants. Women connect to the session using any device, whether it is a laptop, PC or smartphone, and even without downloading any application via the web browser.

To enhance engagement during a session, the psychologist applies various collaboration tools: conference recording for personalized follow-up, video and file sharing, as well as AI-powered features that improve the communication quality and add more productivity to consultations.

Thanks to different video conferencing modes, real-time meeting management, private conferences with only authorized users and PIN-protection, as well as waiting rooms and the ability to lock the conference any moment, the specialist and patients can be sure that no third parties get access to the meeting and all their information is confidential.

“We strongly believe that empowering women begins with mental support and working on both individual and collective mindsets. This project allows each participant not only to share their challenges in a secure environment but also to benefit from the strength of a collective that offers continuous support. Together, we are building a supportive community where women can confidently face life’s challenges while expanding their network."
— Donia Abidat, Consultant & Coach

“The implementation of TrueConf solution has brought about a transformative change in the way D&A Consulting Group holds their psychological consultations. TrueConf robust security features also played a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive information exchanged during virtual meetings, ensuring data privacy and confidentiality.”
— Emmanuel Morin-Desanti, TrueConf representative in France

Results

TrueConf Server provided a secure and confidential environment for women seeking psychological support to share their life experiences and challenges both on an individual and group basis. By prioritizing confidentiality and privacy, the project "Femme Audacieuse & Femme Ambitieuse" not only addressed women's mental health needs but also created a resilient and empowering community for women in France.

Mandhu College Case Study

Vlada — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 13:59:24 +0000

About organization
Mandhu College was established as a private institution aimed at offering educational opportunities to students who are unable to attend classes in person, thereby expanding its role in the Maldives' higher education sector. The college also offers a diverse range of programs and flexible learning options, which cater to both traditional students and working professionals seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Problem
Over the past decade, the founder of Mandhu College recognized the need for a reliable online learning platform due to accelerated digitalization and the growing demand for flexible degree options. However, cloud solutions were incapable of delivering high-quality video content, since not all students and teachers had a durable internet connection to engage in online classes and meetings.
Alongside connectivity and adaptation challenges, security emerged as a critical concern for Mandhu College's administration due to the increased risk of cyber threats such as data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Solution
Due to geographical features and the necessity to control traffic, the college opted to build an on-premises distance learning platform. After testing various video conferencing solutions, the IT specialists at the college chose TrueConf Server that ensured complete autonomy and independence from external service providers, as well as eliminated the possibility of blocks or cyber attacks.
During the remote learning, both teachers and students use personal devices, namely PCs and smartphones, with the installed TrueConf client apps for all popular OS. Additionally, video conferences can be joined via a browser, which is convenient for meetings, webinars, and workshops organized in collaboration with other universities.
Students often connect to classes from home, and TrueConf's AI features, such as virtual backgrounds and noise suppression, make the learning process more convenient by enhancing privacy and reducing any external sounds. Face-tracking technology centers users in the frame for a more flawless layout, while the intelligent assistant promptly addresses any technical issues, ensuring a seamless learning experience.
For comprehensive remote interaction, students and teachers use collaboration features like slideshow, remote desktop control, as well as annotations over the shared content. TrueConf Server offers an address book where students are organised into groups, making it easier to schedule video conferences for specific users. Besides, any online class can be recorded for reviewing the lesson content later.
To facilitate coordination and communication in both group and individual chats, an integrated messenger is used to share announcements, documents, and other files. Furthermore, any chat can be easily escalated into a video conference.
Along with traditional All on screen and Moderated role-based modes, TrueConf provides a Video lecture mode ideal for sessions where the teacher delivers new material without needing active student participation. Thanks to the Smart Meeting mode, the conference layout is automatically filled with active speakers and displayed content, which simplifies the conference management process.
With waiting rooms, teachers are able to manage virtual classes making all conferences private by controlling when students can join the meeting, or by using them as a staging area where participants can wait until it's their turn to present or join the discussion.
“One of the key objectives of the college was to digitalize the learning process, and we finally managed to launch a virtual campus of Mandhu College with the help of TrueConf. Implemented in the local network, it meets all of our requirements and offers reliable video conferencing and team messaging capabilities for our online classes, since the students are located all over the Maldives and can now seamlessly be a part of the distant learning process,”
– Muhamed Mufaris, Head of IT Department.

Results
With TrueConf Server, Mandhu College formed a virtual studying platform for hundreds of students across 200 islands. TrueConf platform facilitates remote and hybrid learning for students, online events, and webinars, and enables asynchronous communication among teachers through a built-in messenger.

A Brief History of Video Conferencing: From the Beginning to Full Commercial Use

Vlada — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 12:21:37 +0000

Video conferencing systems, so familiar to us today, have come a long way — more than a hundred years passed from fantastic ideas inspired by belief in unstoppable technical progress to the first mass implementation of video conferencing systems. A lot of dramatic events have come along the way. The way to success wasn’t easy at all.

From Hoover’s First Greeting to World War II

The idea of video communication systems originated in minds of profound engineers a long time ago. Approximately at the end of the 19th century, the first experiments on television suddenly made it clear that the communication systems of the time could not only transmit audio or telegraph signals but also video to the long distances. Nevertheless, several dozens of years passed from the time the concept has been formed until its first physical implementation. After all, the most basic video communication requires at least four interrelated components: audio transmission facilities, wire or radio channels with sufficient bandwidth, image capture device or camera, and a display system or monitor. And don’t forget to make it double.

Audio transmission was relatively simple, video transmission was not – in fact, it was the video that posed the real problem for many years. The first stable and operational TV cameras entered the market only in the second half of the 1920s. It coincided with consistent transmission of live moving image. The stage was all set for another communication revolution.

In 1927, AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories (later Bell Labs) created the world’s first working TV communication complex. Herbert Hoover’s live moving image was transmitted over cable to New York, at a distance of more than 199 miles. This historic event was even captured on newsreel.

On the same day, another video session was set up. Video and audio were broadcasted via radio channel to a New York studio from Whippany, New Jersey. The overall distance was over 22 miles (the signal was also transmitted by wire from Washington to Whippany). In both cases, it was a one-way visual communication, while the conversation was pure audio. In addition, to transmit the Hoover’s image a whole infrastructure had to be deployed. The necessary equipment occupied a large room, while a special group of qualified engineered maintained the subsystems and ensured their correct operation.

These cases generally fall within the history of television, and only some common points somehow connect them to the video conferencing as we know it. However, it is also obvious that both technologies have common roots and happened at the same time. The first full-fledged version of a two-way audiovisual telecommunication system was demoed by AT&T only three years later. The year 1930 can fairly be considered the birth year of video communication in its modern sense. In 1931, a new public demonstration was held—a two-way video communication session was held between two AT&T offices in Manhattan.

Although image transmission systems were still too complicated and unreliable, at that point it seemed that all technological barriers would soon collapse and video communication would become as commonplace as a phone conversation. After all, the USA and developing countries of Western Europe were going through a time of unprecedented prosperity, of economic and cultural growth. It seemed that all dreams could come true and the human ingenuity hit an all-time high. However, the love, peace and harmony ended quite soon—the Great Depression erupted in 1929, hampering the development of television communications.

It was only in the second half of the 1930s that video communication was brought to the table, surprisingly, by Germany. In 1936, the year of the XI Summer Olympics in Germany, Georg Schubert, a German inventor, presented the first operating system—the prototype of modern video telephony—that could already be used for commercial purposes.

Initially, the connection was set over a coaxial cable between Berlin and Leipzig (about 100 miles). The system called Gegensehn-Fernsprechanlagen (“visual telephone system”) eventually operated with more than 620 miles of coaxial cable transmission lines. The video phone consisted of a display, a camera, lighting devices, and a regular telephone. Video call booths were deployed in post offices where you could make calls to the same communication points located in other cities.

However, the expansion plans were discontinued in 1939 with the start of the Second World War, burying the idea of video communication again, until the second half of the 1950s. From that moment, the technology entered its new cycle.

High Hopes of AT&T

AT&T entered the scene again. Despite the world cataclysms, the company did not abandon the idea of creating a commercial video phone. Almost three decades of hard work – and here it was again, another prototype of a two-way video communication system. Although it only transmitted one frame per two seconds, the system provided a fairly clear and stable image (180 lines, 40 kilopixels per frame at 25 frames per second). The project was quite successful – it paved the way for the first commercial implementation of Picturephone Mod I by AT&T in 1959. The working video phone was presented at the World’s Fair in New York on April 20, 1964.

AT&T enabled visitors to the fair to make video calls lasting up to 10 minutes. The second meeting room was located at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. During the demonstration, random people communicated with each other.

According to Jon Gertner, author of The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation:

“[A] visitor who wanted to try a Picturephone would enter one of seven booths and sit before what was called a “picture unit.” The device was a long oval tube, measuring about one foot wide and seven inches high and about a foot in depth. Set within the oval face was a small camera and a rectangular video screen, measuring four and three-eighths inches by five and three-quarter inches. The picture unit was cabled to a touch-tone telephone handset with a line of buttons to control the screen. If you wanted to make a Picturephone call at the fair — or more precisely, if you wanted to talk with the Picturephone users at other booths — you simply pressed a button marked “V” for video; after that you could either talk through the handset or through a speakerphone on the picture unit.”

Regardless of the number of booths, video chatters viewed a vertical black-and-white 30 fps image, but had to stay perfectly motionless within a 16 x 21-inch frame to stay in view at the other end. A single button push could disconnect the video connection at either end.

All-in-all, it was a good advertising trick that made everyone talk about a new technology. In two months, a Picturephone commercial service was launched. The meeting rooms were organized in New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. You had to make advanced reservations, and both parties had to show up on time at their designated Picturephone locations for the chance to chat, which was very inconvenient, especially for busy businessmen who were the target audience for the product. The pricing wasn’t so affordable: a three-minute conversation cost $16; 15-minute talk could cost as much as $80 (equivalent of approximately $130 and $650 in 2018 dollars). As a result, the project turned out to be commercially unprofitable and was soon curtailed.

Nevertheless, AT&T blindly believed in the video conferencing potential and tried to make a more portable variation of PictureMod. In 1969, the company presented Picturephone Mod II, a compact office video communication system. 5 x 5.5-inch screen transmitted a monochrome 251-line, black-and-white image at 30 fps.

An updated Picturephone service was launched in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 30, 1970. In contrast to the previous version, the service connected company’s branches within the same city. The service cost about $160 per month (~ $1,300 today), plus $0.25 for every minute of conversation over the 30 minutes that were included in the subscription fee. Later on, Picturephone became available in other cities within AT&T telecom network.

Five years after the service was launched, there were only eight video phones in Pittsburgh and only several hundred of phones throughout the United States. It was a highly expensive failure—between 1966 and 1973, AT&T invested about $1 billion ($6.6-6.7 billion today) in the Picturephone project. By 1974, the project was shut down.

Sheldon Heuser, AT&T’s corporate historian, called the videophone “the most famous failure in the history of the Bell system”. According to him, the failure was caused not only its ridiculously expensive price, but also somewhat vague value of the product for the end customers. ‘’It turned out that it wasn’t entirely clear that people wanted to be seen on a telephone,’’ Dr. Hochheiser said.

AT&T was not the only company that developed video communication at the time. In 1973, UK’s APO laboratory researchers developed and implemented the first experimental international video conferencing system that was initially deployed between two post offices—in London and Sydney. It was then used to connect Sydney with Melbourne.

On the Other Side of the “Iron Curtain”

The USSR also forged video telephony ahead. The first mention can be found in “Radio” magazine, edition No. 12 of 1961. At that time, the idea of remote video communication no longer looked like a fiction, especially preceded by the first human journey into space. As reported in the magazine: “At the present time, residents of Moscow, Leningrad, and Kiev can take advantage of a new communication tool called video phone.”

In the interview with I. Ravich, the Head of the Main Directorate of Intercity Telephone and Telegraph Communication of the USSR Ministry of Communications it is stated that video phone offices were deployed in Moscow, Leningrad (today’s Saint-Petersburg) and Kiev.

According to the technical specifications, the 625-line 25fps image was displayed on regular Rubin 102 and 202 TVs. Cameras were also installed in the video booths, the sound was transmitted via telephone channels. Video sessions could be held from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, when there were no television broadcasts. To transfer the signal between the cities, a multi-channel K-1920 system was used, allowing for simultaneous transmission of images and voice over coaxial cables.

Did they really implement this system? Most likely they didn’t. Anyway, it was not widely used and wasn’t more than just an experiment. In the USSR, accessible intercity video communication couldn’t be set up, although video telephony was clearly being developed. However, the real systems in action were more like video intercoms. In particular, the USSR patent database included the patent No. 164320 for an invention called Medical Video Phone, published on August 13, 1964. According to the inventor’s certificate: “Today there are video phones consisting of two or more sets…”. Hence, both the concept and the technology were well known to the Soviet scientists at that time.

The medical video phone was designed to ensure that visitors could communicate with the patients located in isolation wards, wherever direct contact was not allowed. The invention was a two-point video phone designed to be used within the building.

The endpoint equipped with a small display and a camera was set up at the each end.

However, there were some differences between these devices. A patient endpoint was to be equipped with a built-in source of infrared radiation (and a suitable camera) that would provide sufficient illumination of a patient’s face in a darkened room, as with severe skin lesions, intense illumination could be painful to a patient. In addition, there was an additional screen in the ward to allow patients to check out how they looked and choose the most suitable foreshortening (that’s how developers took care of the patient’s psychological comfort). Visitors had a regular video endpoint equipped with a camera and a screen, not lightning though.

We don’t know when the first video phone was released in the USSR, but such devices were known to be imitedly used since the second half of the 1970s in some maternity hospitals and were called VTM-01.

An infrared flashlight was replaced with a mirror (obviously, for a happy mother to have a rough idea on how she looked). Users could make voice calls by an ordinary telephone without a dialer. The system also included a basic unit, a switching module, a PA amplifier, a broadcast receiver, and cables—a whole set of heavy equipment. In 1977, the set cost about 44,000 Soviet rubles (by comparison, the state price for VAZ 2101 car was 5,600 rubles) and yet these systems were sometimes installed.

Digital Networks and the Age of Internet

In 1976, video communication conquered Japan. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) deployed a video conferencing network between Tokyo and Osaka for corporate use. Subsequently, IBM launched a video communication service to hold weekly briefs between its offices in the US and Japan. The communication channel bandwidth amounted to 48 kbps.

Since the emergence of digital telephone networks in 1980, video conferencing accelerated. It seemed that the right moment came, and AT&T decided to take revenge. In 1982, an incredibly expensive corporate Picturephone Meeting Service was launched. An hour of communication between the offices in New York and Los Angeles cost $2,380. In addition, users had to buy a set of equipment for $117,500 or lease it for $17,800. Unsurprisingly, the project failed and was shut down just a year after its launch.

The same year Compression Labs commercialized its own video conferencing system. The solution cost $250,000, an hour of conversation was $1,000. The price also didn’t contribute to wide distribution and the project was soon canceled. There were several other unsuccessful attempts from other companies. However, some success was achieved only in 1986 when PictureTel (today’s Polycom) created a relatively inexpensive video conferencing system that cost “only” $80,000, an hour of communication was priced at $100.

Mitsubishi also released a portable low-resolution video phone in the 1980s. Luma Video Phone cost about $1,500 and was equipped with black-and-white display and a built-in camera, transmitting one frame each 3-5 seconds.

In the early 1990s, we finally witnessed IP-based video conferencing and more efficient video compression technologies. The computer revolution of the 1980s drove a rapid rise in PC-based video conferencing.

The first PC-based video conferencing solution was created in 1991 by IBM and PictureTel. IBM provided PS/2 PC with OS/2 operating system, while PictureTel turned it into a video conferencing endpoint equipped with a camera, microphone, speakers, and specialized software. The system allowed 16 users to run eight video conferences simultaneously directly from their workplaces thanks to a PC-based software video conferencing server. The product entered the market in 1992 and cost $20,000 per one endpoint ($30 for an hour of communication).

That same year, restless AT&T decided to try its luck in the video conferencing arena again. They created VideoPhone 2500, a compact video phone with a built-in color LCD screen. Fist it cost $1,599.99 per phone, later on the company offered to rent a device at a price of $30 per day. But alas, no one wanted to pay so much for a video phone and in the end, no one was really interested in the service. In the end, AT&T abandoned this idea in a couple of years.

It was a home computer boom, and everyone was eager to get the most out of their very expensive computers. In early 1990s Tim Dorsey at Cornell wrote a program called CU-SeeMe, which became the first desktop video conferencing platform. And it came at just the right time.

The first operational version for Macintosh was released in 1992. It didn’t support audio transmission, which was added later in 1994. In 1995 they introduced group video conferencing and released CU-SeeMe for Windows.

Around the same time, Connectix launched QuickCam, the first commercial webcam. The device priced at $100 could only provide 320 x 240 pixel resolution with a grayscale colour depth of 16 shades at 60 frames per second, which would drop down to 15 frames per second if it was switched to a less basic 256 shades of gray (8-bit). In 1998, the QuickCam line was purchased by Logitech.

Finally, video conferencing became available to a wide range of users, which signified a new stage in the technology development.