Teleconferencing

Since 1972, when AT & T introduced its Picturephone system, it has been technically possible for people to communicate with each other at distant locations with sound and movement shown on a video screen. Now, however, video teleconferencing has become so widespread that Holiday Inns has started a joint venture with Comsat General to offer videoteleconferencing by satellite in its 1500 US facilities. While many corporations are using video teleconferencing, some are starting their own networks—Atlantic Richfield is planning its own $15 million satellite complex and Federal Express has awarded a contract for a $16 million private satellite network. Another indication of the widespread use of videoteleconferencing came in a reader poll taken by Frequent Flyer magazine, published by the Official Airline Guides in April, 1982. One question read, ‘Have you ever participated in a meeting via teleconference?’ 39·3 per cent of 6200 returned questionnaires said yes; this is almost two out of every five and these are frequent flyers. AT & T offers the service in 11 public rooms across the country and has started a New York‐London service: so have several other companies—the costs for this service have come down from around $2400 an hour to about $625 an hour.