For all that is said about video conferencing, it’s still a technology that’s growing and improving. So of course, there’s even more talk about next-generation video conferencing, and all that it will build on.

So exactly how transformative will it be?

As it is now, conference calls spend a lot of time setting up, finding times when everyone is free, and getting a good connection. Without video, though, there’s very little to keep the participants engaged, and many get lost or even mute the calls.

With video, however, there’s a stronger sense of connection with other participants. Simply being able to see the face of the speaker helps keep people engaged and feel more active in the discussion.

Even with virtual avatar-based chats, there’s still some sense of disconnect that video can eliminate.

Fortunately, video is no longer as time-consuming or expensive to set up as it once was. While the really good solutions will cost some money – and many are finding that room-based solutions are still worth using – video has become affordable to almost everyone.

All that it really requires is a webcam, with software easy to come by and install.

Furthermore, video conferencing solutions have been adding collaboration features. This allows an even greater sense of participation, as they can share and interact with documents electronically. The more people can actively participate in the calls, the better and more productive they’ll become. That’s all there is to it.

So we have here a growth from phone calls, to expensive and large video conferences, to next-gen video collaboration that anyone can participate in. That’s quite the growth, and it’s only going to keep going. Video conferencing and collaboration are great ways for people to work together and communicate over long distances, saving time and money while working at their best.