VIE: Video Interconnection Exchange

With multiple applications, services, vendor platforms and end user devices; video communications is a thriving but fragmented community. Interworking and cross network availability between different video services is a critical factor in the mass adoption and success of video communication.

  • Introduction
  • Challenges
  • VIE
  • Join

The adoption of IP and converging network infrastructure has led to increased deployment of unified communications, telepresence and video conferencing systems in corporate environments enabling more productive real-time collaboration through the use of video technology. In addition, the potential cost savings that can be realised by conducting meetings via video rather than undertaking expensive international travel to meet business partners is significant, add to that the productivity savings from escaping downtime travelling between cities clearly demonstrates why video is playing a pivotal role in inter/intra company communications. Analyst firms predict that the video conferencing and telepresence market will be worth $9bn by 2015.

Furthermore, consumers now have access to a plethora of communication channels, tools and devices giving access to "one to one" or "one to many" interaction at a click of a button. Smartphone's are no longer the domain of high-end business users but are now available to everyone giving users access to new video calling services both at home and on the move. The immediate, personal and real time nature of video communication means it will play an important role in driving social communication and web 2.0 media channels.

With multiple applications, services, vendor platforms and end user devices video communications is a thriving but fragmented community. Interworking and cross network availability between different video services is a critical factor in the mass adoption and success of video communication.

Ubiquitous voice communication is globally wide spread. Any two telephones can call each other; this is done independent of the network they are connected to, and the type of device making the call. This interconnection was handled by PSTN networks, with the growth of IP based voice communication the reliance on the PSTN as the centre if interconnectivity is declining and there is a growing demand for IP interconnection services.

Currently video services are limited to within each video service provider network. For example Skype users can easily originate video calls to other Skype users, provided they have a camera and the network bandwidth is sufficient. A Skype user today, however, cannot call a user on another video service due to lack of interconnection between networks, interworking between different video services and also the lack of knowledge of whether the call receipent is able to receive video calls.

To make a video call the originator (caller) must know the destination network and service provider, and the networks of both parties need to be interconnected. The lack of this pre-requisite knowledge, interconnection and interoperability is hampering the growth of video based communication.

XConnect's Video Interconnection Exchange (VIE) will enable ubiquitous video calling, to make video calling as simple as a traditional voice call, regardless of the network, video service or device; removing the need for any pre-requisite knowledge from the call participants and thus enabling the growth of wide spread video calling.

For more information or to apply to join VIE please complete the form.

VIE is open to  service providers currently offering video calling (fixed and mobile), video conferencing and telepresence services, over-the-top and web 2.0 service providers

For more information or to apply to join VIE please complete the form.

Operators considering participating in VIE must be able to support the following:

• Number Uploads - Members must upload their subscriber numbers to the XConnect Registry XConnect will work with the member to determine the best way of uploading numbers to the XC Registry.

• Registry Query - Members must support either ENUM or SIP Redirect query.

• SIP Trunks - Members must support SIP interconnection

• Codecs/Devices Supported - support  SIP, G.711, H.263, H.323 and 24 fps. It may be possible to extend the codecs/devices supported and this should be discussed with XConnect's Product Manager.