Global Revenue from Managed Telepresence Services to Exceed $360 Million in 2011, ABI Research Finds

NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Telepresence, a kind of video conference providing the realistic sensation that
all participants are actually in the same room, is a rapidly growing industry.
The technology, however, is very expensive - prohibitively so, for the majority
of its potential users. Hence there is a growing trend toward offering
telepresence as a managed service. According to ABI Research vice president Stan
Schatt, "The growth of managed telepresence services raises the prospect that
soon virtually anybody, from multinational corporations to private individuals,
may be able to benefit from this remarkable audiovisual experience."

What makes telepresence more useful than phones, email, or ordinary
videoconferencing? The key is the realism: in complex business negotiations body
language, eye contact, and vocal realism are still critical. And for individuals
communicating with distant loved-ones, there`s no substitute.

Today, telepresence managed services are still primarily used by large
enterprises. But it won`t be long before small-medium businesses and eventually
ordinary citizens can use the service. Schatt believes that "The price for
telepresence managed services will eventually come down to where any mid-level
manager can do it."

There will also be public facilities, often in hotels or conference centers,
where one can use telepresence for a fee. "That`s going to be very attractive to
small businesses," says Schatt. "Take a small business that has a supply chain
relationship with an Asian company. The fee for an hour in a telepresence room
is always going to be less than the cost of sending a key executive all the way
to China. And fewer air miles are better for the environment."

Many telepresence systems today are still not easily interoperable: another
reason to let a service provider handle the technicalities. "We`re already
seeing AT&T, BT, and Nortel being very active in this area," says Schatt, "and
India`s Tata Communications has started offering telepresence facilities in
partnership with Cisco."

ABI Research`s recent study, "The Global Telepresence Market"
(http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1001975-The_Global_Telepresence_Market)
provides a sizing of this market, examines key drivers and vertical market
opportunities, and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of leading telepresence
vendors and their products.

It forms part of the firm`s Wi-Fi Research Service
(http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Wi-Fi_Research_Servic).

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of emerging
trends in global connectivity. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia,
ABI Research`s worldwide team of experts advise thousands of decision makers
through research and advisory services in seven key practice areas. Est. 1990.
For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

ABI Research
Christine Gallen, +1-516-624-2542
pr@abiresearch.com

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