Videoconferencing is changing the way companies do business. It is bringing decision-makers together, face-to-face, wherever they are, across the country around the globe. Experts from remote locations can interact with each other time. It is bringing education and training to corporations and to students a Videoconferencing opens the lines in every area-business, government. ed institutions and healthcare facilities.

                                                 With over a decade of experience in Videoconferencing Technology, National Informatics Center's technical expertise is unmatched in the country. NIC is currently providing videoconferencing service from 490 locations in India including all North-eastern state capitals over its high speed satellite based network called "NICNET". This is the largest videoconferencing network in India, spread across length and width of the country. The Advantage of using satellite based communications is that it can deliver high speed data and provide videoconferencing at remote locations, which were earlier not easily access!

                                                 NIC has invested in an in-house Multipoint Conference Server (MCS), which facilitates several sites to participate in a live conference with audio-video and document sharing. MCS is the central point of connectivity for endpoints. It enables the operations very effectively. MCS supports both "Voice Activated" and "Chairman Control" multi point conferencing. NIC also supports international connectivity using public ISDN Network.

                                                  A videoconferencing facility of many elements. Firstly, there is the or the conferencing system, which comes in various types, depending on its application. all conferencing systems use CODEC, which stands for coder Codec is a device, which converts and compresses an analog audio-video is digital data and then sends it over a digital network. The decoder reverses Process at the receiving end. All videoconferencing systems work in full dup i.e. encoding and decoding of audio-video is done simultaneously in both direction. One can use a number of networks for conducting videoconferencing over w Networks (WAN) such as ISDN lines of satellite based links. It is possible to bandwidth of 128 Kbps for good quality conference. However data rate of may be needed for near TV quality video.

                                                 The network used for NIC's Videoconferencing services is a SCPC VSAT link at 128 Kbps from each of the studios spread across India. All the  locations are connected in a star configuration. NIC is also providing videoconferencing services from studio's installed in NIC's network to transpose between the H.323 environment over and H.320 environment over WAN. NIC has been providing videoconferencing services in the country since April 1995.

                                                  NIC has tow portable SCPC VSATs of 1.8 m and 1.2 m dish size, which can carried to any destination by air cargo within few days. Once oriented towards Satellite wherein NIC has leased transponder capacity, portable VSAT provide duplex network connectivity at higher speeds. With this facility, videoconference and high speed internet access can be provide from any city / district / village India in a short time. This service can be utilized to provide temporary videoconferencing service for conferences, exhibitions and other internet facility.

                                                  NIC has established SCPC DAMA Network Management System at New Delhi started voice, videoconferencing and high speed Internet access services in integrated manner using a single VSAT. Using this technology, any DAMA lo simply using a handset can initiate a voice, video or data call, without the n intervention of Hub operator. Connections are made in mesh topology on to-point basis between any nodes in the network using on demand SCPC carrier.

                                                     The key feature of SCPC DAMA is that bandwidth is provided to the remote only when it is required. This helps in better utilization of satellite bandwidth amongst various VSAT's in a closed user network.  SCPC, DAMA, NMS is like a telephone exchange in the sky, which works on the switching concept. It sets up Voice circuits at 8 Kbps, Videoconferencing in 384 Kbps and asymmetric data circuits up to 2 Mbps within 5 seconds of per application in an automatic manner.

                                                     A Videoconferencing meeting is usually brief and more focused than a face meeting. Benefits available to business through ability to meet and work  over a distance, are extensive. It enable top management to communicate and effectively with employees sitting at multiple locations. Videoconferencing to reduce travel costs, improves use of executive time and speeds up decision making.

                                                     Video and data conferencing enables virtual project management by getting geographically dispersed peer groups at short notice. It provides an effect of delivering cost-efficient training to individuals without the need to constant travel to central locations. In order to bring about cultural change, NIC is p lot of efforts in educating users to see videoconferencing as an alternative conventional meeting.

Who can avail NIC Videoconferencing Service ?                                                                                                                                                      

                                                       NIC provides IT support to various Government Ministries and departments of State Govt., Planning Commission, Government of India, which  defines domain of NIC. As per the Gazette notification dated 2nd September 1995, NIC shall be able to support public and private organizations which are user/ beneficiaries of or implements/ franchisers engaged in the promotional activities/ projects/ program of national importance, the possible list is given below: