Chrous Call Australia launches hosted Mobility Solution.

by choruscallaustralia

Chorus Call Australia, has deployed LifeSize ClearSea and LifeSize UVC Multipoint to enable its users to collaborate in high-definition video on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. The service allows Chorus Call clients to remain connected beyond the boardroom by using laptops, Android phone, tablets and devices to participate in video conferencing calls.

LifeSize ClearSea allows mobile users to seamlessly and securely connect to any standards-based video collaboration system or infrastructure within seconds, while LifeSize UVC Multipoint brings scalability to the solution, enabling the connection of multiple parties. In addition to high definition video and audio, LifeSize ClearSea offers collaboration tools such as real-time data sharing, text chat, far-end camera control, easy switching of camera views and a centralised contact list.

Chorus Call is the first Australian organisation to offer LifeSize ClearSea as a video conferencing service to clients. It has deployed the solution across a number of data centres throughout the country to ensure consistently fast response times for all users, no matter where they are located.

With mobile device use on the rise, tools like LifeSize ClearSea are incredibly valuable for businesses of all sizes. Since being previewed to Chorus Call clients in November 2012, more than 70 organisations have already signed up for the mobile and desktop service. The majority of these organisations are using LifeSize ClearSea as a complement to their existing room or desktop-based video conferencing arrangements, enabling executives who are away from the office to continue to check in to meetings and discuss issues with staff.

“Work patterns are changing and the need for workplace flexibility is only going to increase,” said Morley Foster, chief executive officer of Chorus Call Australia. “A lot of customers are looking for a mobile capability that doesn’t require investing capital in building their own solution. They also want security and the ability to add participants without any degradation of service. LifeSize ClearSea allows us to meet this need by providing a scalable, high-definition video communication service that crosses all major platforms, offers excellent resolution and is easy to use.”

“Technology has become so pervasive that people expect it to work any time, any place,” added Simon Claringbold, general manager and vice president of LifeSize, Asia Pacific. “They aren’t interested in the details and they don’t like making allowances for services that can’t cater for their particular device or circumstances. Chorus Call recognises this and makes video communications a simple process for organisations to keep everyone connected.”

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About Chorus Call
Launched in 2003, Chorus Call Australia has quickly become the preferred supplier of organisations seeking quality and value in the conferencing service provider. Chorus Call’s state of the art conferencing services include telephone conferencing, video conferencing, web streaming, announcement and investor relations services, data sharing and video room hire services.

About LifeSize

LifeSize is a pioneer and world leader in high-definition video collaboration. Designed to make video conferencing truly universal, our full range of open standards-based systems offer enterprise-class, IT-friendly technologies that enable genuine human interaction over any distance. Founded in 2003 and acquired by Logitech in 2009, LifeSize, with its commitment to relentless innovation, continues to extend the highest-quality video conferencing capabilities to anyone, anywhere.

1800 from mobiles…

Many users of conferencing services are unaware that when they phone a “free call” service from their mobile that their service provider can slug them airtime charges that sometimes are in excess $1 per minute. To make this issue even worse the provider of the 1800 service will also be charging the receiving company, or conference provider, for the pleasure of receiving this call. This is a legacy issue that the dominant carriers have taken advantage of over the years and finally the communications regulator is going to regulate the charging, if any, that can occur here.

Telstra and Optus, being the dominant mobile carriers, will be working hard to thwart this initiative as it will will cost them millions in lost revenue. They will argue that much of the usage is already captured in “capped” or “unlimited” plans and there is not much savings that will be achieved by the end user. Beyond this being absolute garbage the issue goes back to the marketing of the number as a “Free Call” service. People don’t expect they will get charged similarly to some 0055 service when they phone a 1800 number. This can be especially hurtful in the conferencing environment where call lengths are more like 40 or 50 minutes instead of the average of 2-3 minutes on a typical person to person mobile call. We can only hope that the regulator has the fortitude to make the right decision here and not bow to the inevitable pressure.

At Chorus Call we have many organisations that we have worked with to minimise these unfair fees from mobile carriers. We have always offered no connection or booking fees so customers with large mobile fleets have used our operators to call out to mobile users so they don’t get any charges. Similarly, we have systems in place where advanced users can operate their own conference and dial out from our infrastructure to the end mobile, thus avoiding these unfair charges. The crux of the solution is that you have to arrange for our services to dial out to your mobile services to avoid the charges. Charges can really add up. Hopefully we will see the end to this cash grab in the near future, and customers can feel confident that the conferencing charge is the only charge they see form their mobile.

...Should Have Had a Chorus Call.