I really think that videoconferencing solutions are going to be a very hot business segment over the next year or two. With companies like Cisco bringing their very high-end Telepresence solutions to the large enterprise market, small and medium business are looking for other solutions. Here's a news item about a solution from Appia that's aimed at the SMB market.

Appia Communications Launches High Definition Video Conferencing for Small and Mid-Sized Organizations

TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan — November 6, 2007 — Appia Communications, Inc., a leading provider of managed IT and telecom services, today announced a new high definition (HD) video conferencing service. The solution uses advanced technology that enables users to collaborate in real time, with the stunning quality of high definition video and at a much lower cost than other products on the market.

“HD elevates collaboration to a new level,” said Victor von Schlegell, Appia’s president. “Users feel as if they’re taking part in a live meeting, whether they’re meeting with people across town or across the globe.”

The heart of the Appia solution is its H.264 CODEC, which was developed specifically for real-time applications. The CODEC enables compression of 300:1 or more, depending on content, which sharply reduces bandwidth requirements while producing HD quality.