Today Microsoft will be unveiling new subscription/ licensing plans for its Live Meeting Web service. Soon after Microsoft acquired PlaceWare it launched Live Meeting. Live Meeting allows users to present information over the Internet such as presentations, and allows users to collaborate better on projects. As of right now WebEx, Cisco, and Raindance Communications dominate the Web conferencing market. Something Microsoft is hoping to change over the next few years.
Already Microsoft is making good progress. Earlier this year Microsoft announced a partnership with MCI. Together with Intercall these two companies are giving Microsoft"s Live Meeting the push it needs. There are a total of three new subscription/licensing plans. The first plan is called "Named User". This plan supports a maximum meeting size of 15 with prices ranging from $180 to $300 dollars (Standard and Professional Edition). The next license is called "Room" which has a maximum meeting size of 2,000 with prices ranging from $6,000 to $10,000. The last new license is called "monthly minutes" which carries an unlimited meeting size, which only costs at $0.35 to $0.45. Please note that I haven"t listed the minimum purchase for each new license. This information can be found on Microsoft"s site later in the day.
Live Meeting is showing some real potential as Microsoft continues to improve upon it, but it"s going to takes some time for businesses to adopt it. The Web conferencing market has shown to be pretty profitable, especially during last year. If Microsoft plays its cards right it may have another cashcow.