Punjab small towns in IT hug

Even small cities like Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Bhatinda, Barnala, and Malerkotla could not resist the lure of information technology.

Video conferencing in these cities clearly shows this service is not restricted to big cities and corporate clients only but it is popular among the masses also. Experts say although this service is in its infancy in smaller cities, with time it will gain popularity.

According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, in 2005 there's been a significant increase in adoption Web conferencing in the enterprise market. Emerging businesses will increase the adoption of this service as prices of hardware and bandwidth fall, and awareness about the technology is spreads in the market. The Asia Pacific market for Web conferencing was worth $7.53 million in 2003. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 27.2 percent till 2010.

It is evident that opening of VC facilities in smaller cities is not just for the corporate but has the ability to touch the lives of the common man. Also, organisations are saving time and resources while recruiting employees and make a difference in the output of the organisation.

Normally, the various purposes for which the clients are using Video Conferencing System like for recruitment of candidates in these cities, Matrimonial purposes, Interaction with relatives settled abroad, Reviews and Meetings, Product Launches, Press Conferences etc.

Also, for Legal and Judiciary purposes, as recently Reliance Webworld, hosted a Video Conferencing in which a subject expert in UK was Consulted over the Video Conference by a Judge and Advocates sitting here in Chandigarh.

Commenting upon the popularity among people, Ashee B Mohindru, spokesperson, Reliance Infocomm said, "Apart from this, Video Conferencing are also used for Matrimonial Purposes, quit a few VC's have been held wherein the bride and the groom living in distant locations interact with each other and their families through the means of VC."

He also added that for student interviews (Quite a few Universities abroad have Interviewed candidates over the VC before giving them the admission offer), guest lectures by subject experts.

Apart from Chandigarh, Reliance Infocomm has VC facilities in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Bhatinda, Barnala, Malerkotla, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panipat Sonipat and Rohtak. Presently, Reliance Infocomm is the only player in Punjab, which have VC facilities, seeing the potential, even Connect from HFCL is also planning to venture in the service.

Talking to Business Standard, Jayant Keswani, Assistant Vice President Marketing, Connect said," Most probable by May 2006, we would be venturing in VC service."