BSNL forays into audio-conferencing space

BSNL on Monday forayed into the audio-conferencing space with the launch of a post-paid value added service that integrates voice and web-based conferencing into a single, easy-to-use domain.

Meeting Junction, the conferencing solution jointly offered by BSNL and Bangalore-based Silk Media Technologies, is a service that allows business clientele to hook up any time from anywhere and save on time and travel. Some of the salient features are an easy web interface for registration and subscription, facility to include non-BSNL users in the conference, toll-free access from anywhere in the world, cost-effectiveness and a large suite of applications.

Though the service is being offered on segmented tariff plans that have included the casual user in the scheme of things, BSNL is initially targeting the corporate clients Chief General Manager of BSNL Chennai Telephones A. Subramanian told a press conference after launching Meeting Junction.

The service allows rapid transfer of data under a protected environment and could be useful for companies.

Shastri Divakaruni, CEO of Silk Media, said some of the add-on features of the service include SMS alerts shortly ahead of a scheduled conference session and facilities for the moderator to control the proceedings, right from scheduling an event and choosing between 15 and 30 participants.

The post-paid plan allows the moderator (who will be billed by BSNL) to use the facility and pay later, he said.

The audio-conferencing market in India was expanding at a compounded annual growth rate of 15-20 per cent.

R. Ramesh, General Manager, BSNL's Enterprise Business, said the size of the audio-conferencing segment in the country was estimated to aggregate about Rs.500 crore by 2015.

BSNL Tamil Nadu Circle Chief General Manager M.A. Khan was also present.