Security woes give Zoom rivals lifeline

Due to the rising concerns of security on Zoom, the rising video conferencing app, several institutions have switched to alternative video conferencing applications.

While popular for providing a lot of features for free, Zoom has faced complaints of strangers 'Zoombombing' video sessions, leading to some users seeking an alternative app.

Microsoft Teams is an option that enables users to easily shift between messaging and video conferencing as well as benefit from powerful native integration of the Microsoft 365 suite. It enables administrators to organise webinars and large meetings with up to 10,000 participants.

Users can schedule video or audio meetings with a single person or a team. The full integration with Microsoft 365 means calls can easily be scheduled and invites shared among your organisation or institution. For external guests, they can join from their web browsers without downloading the application.

This application provides a full range of features, including the screen-sharing, call recording, live captions, background blur technology and chat functionalities. This platform’s powerful video conferencing software is complemented by hardware options that enable users to join from anywhere.

When working collaboratively, Microsoft Teams Rooms enables some of the team to meet face to face, while remote teams are able to call in.

For security, it provides administrators and video conference hosts with a large degree of control over who joins the meetings and the data that can be accessed and shared. It also has the Microsoft Transparency Hub, providing information on the company’s privacy policies and how and when it provides user data to government authorities and other third party users.

It also has encryption of all data in Microsoft Data Centres. It uses the Secure Real Time Transport Protocol technology for video and audio data, though Microsoft can access all data stored on its servers.

It goes for Sh500 for the Microsoft Business 365 Essentials and Sh800 for the Office 365 Business. The downside is that it requires a commitment to Microsoft Software. 

Cisco Webex meetings is another application that provides businesses with a powerful video conferencing platform, which is easy to use and packed with features. It is suited for large companies looking for a comprehensive video conferencing solution.

This app offers the full suite of standard video conferencing features, such as screen sharing, call scheduling, calendar app scheduling and file sharing in both the free and premium plans. It also enables users to create in-call polls and run Q and A sessions for the participants, and with such inclusions makes the platform highly participatory.

For the premium plan, it offers more advanced features, such as MP4 call recording, custom link calls and encrypted cloud storage of data. The ability to access participant information, such as their organisation and position directly from their call, is a feature that stood out. With that, it makes it easy for the administrator to know who is in the meeting.

There is an administrative portal in the business and Plus plans that provide data-driven insights on how and when employees are using the platform as well as offering analytics and troubleshooting advice.

For security, it has a default option where it encrypts all data travelling between the client and the servers using AES 256 bit encryption. Though for organisations requiring high levels of data protection, end-to-end encryption is available.

Despite the excellent data security and innovative features, its end to end encryption is not included by default.

Google Meet is another video conferencing app that lets you host up to 150 participants, depending on the plan you choose. It is an upgraded version of the free Hangouts app. Its hardware can turn any size space into a video conferencing room by having a wide field of view camera and all-in-one speaker and microphone, which is designed to reduce echoes and manage background noise.

The enterprise plan for this app enables users to record meetings, which are automatically saved to the hosts' Google Drive and Google Calendar event. Once the meeting is done, the host will receive a link to the recording, which he or she will share with others, and this plan enables live stream viewing of up to 100,000 in-domain viewers.

Its downside is that if you try accessing it with another browser apart from Google Chrome, it can be annoying and might create delays for participants unfamiliar with it. It also does not include valuable features, such as whiteboard tools and poll and survey options offered in other video conferencing apps.

Edited by T Jalio