Videoconferencing could soon be moving into the home as features are added to a range of consumer products following an alliance between market leader PictureTel and chip giant Intel.
Frazer Hamilton, PictureTel's vice-president for worldwide sales, said that under the alliance, PictureTel would become the worldwide distributor of Intel's PC-based videoconferencing products.
The two companies would also co-operate on new product development. Intel recently invested US$30.5 million in PictureTel.
Intel also sells the ProShare Video System 500, which hooks up to a desktop PC to deliver audio and videoconferencing over either an integrated services digital network (ISDN) line or a local area network (LAN).
PictureTel is best known for larger stand-alone videoconferencing equipment, which is also used by companies and enables everyone in the room to view the broadcast images.
Mr Hamilton said: 'The Intel products are very complementary to our existing product range, and beneficial to our customers.' He said that as new applications for videoconferencing emerge, the number of appliances that include video conferencing would increase. For instance, cable modems or televisions could soon have videoconferencing capabilities.
He said the consumer market was the real interest for both companies, and there was a strong possibility they would begin to develop products for that market, based on Intel's PC-based products.