AARNet, Australia's Academic and Research Network has partnered with ViVu, Inc. an emerging leader in creating innovative and easy-to-use solutions for live video participation, to launch a beta version of AARNet Anywhere, a desktop multi-user video conferencing solution.

AARNet Anywhere is based on ViVu's VuRoom, an instant multi-party video collaboration plug in for Skype (News - Alert).

"AARNet has taken real-time collaboration to the next level by working with ViVu. In addition to making desktop video conferencing available to all our members at no additional cost, 'AARNet Anywhere' users can share slides, videos and desktops with many others. This makes it convenient for participants who may need to setup a video session on an ad hoc basis without the need to book a timeslot or purchase additional hardware or software," said Chris Hancock, CEO of AARNet.

Users will be able to run multimedia presentations, desktop sharing functionalities and collaborate in real-time with remote users over Skype. 'AARNet Anywhere' is immediately available as a separate discrete beta trial service in addition to the National Video Conferencing Service (NVCS) which AARNet currently offers to its members. As part of this development, NVCS staff will be working with ViVu developers to test ViVu's access with AARNet's H.323/IP conferencing bridge platforms.

 "We are thrilled to be working with AARNet in our mission to bring quality video conferencing to the masses," said Sudha Valluru, CEO of ViVu. "By aligning the core ViVu functionality with a leading service provider like AARNet, we can now empower millions of additional individuals and organisations to engage in a more natural, productive and collaborative online experience."

AARNet has partnered with ViVu using VuRoom to eliminate the need for complicated and expensive software and hardware. This will reduce the barrier-to-entry for video conferencing and enable seamless connectivity to participants outside of the AARNet network. Coupled with Skype, users can now have full video and presentation capabilities offered by a stand-alone web conferencing solution.

ViVu's VuRoom provides instant multi-user video conferencing through Skype - an exciting new breakthrough previously unavailable to Skype users. Along with its presentation and desktop sharing functionalities, VuRoom is designed to help remote users collaborate in real-time, while also saving valuable time and money. VuRoom's intuitive user interface and high-quality video experience enables organizations to truly engage in real-time communication.