Volcanic Ash Crisis to Drive Video Teleconference Use (Video)

With a vast amount of international travel halted as a result of the volcanic ash coming from Iceland, video teleconferencing will rise in the days and weeks ahead.

Should the crisis continue, the teleconferencing business could benefit, Reuters reports today in an overview story of various "scenarios" stemming from the natural disaster.

We expect the increased use of video for meetings will range from free and simple consumer solutions such as Skype video, Paltalk and video chat -- to the high-end of video conferencing from the likes of Polycom, Tandberg and Cisco.

Watch the incredible CNN video report of the volcanic eruption posted below on this page. Here's an incredible photo from yesterday.

Earlier this month, we went to Cisco's world headquarters in San Jose to speak with Ken Wirt, VP for Consumer Marketing. He explains the value of video conferencing, the upcoming integration of Tandberg and the introduction of a broader product line for business and consumers.

Whether the travel crisis eases quickly or not, we expect that the disaster will motivate businesses and institutions to establish viable video conferencing strategies.

You can find this post on Beet.TV