WiredRed e/pop 4.5

Bandwidth usage depends on your ISP or LAN if you go for the installable version, but you only get 250GB/month with the hosted alternative. We found video and audio conferencing worked just fine over an 802.11g WLAN, but video quality will be particularly restricted over slow internet connections. Unlike videoconferencing systems using dedicated links, quality depends mostly on the conference holder's and participants' internet provision.

It all sounds very rosy. However, there is one thing which may cause pause for thought - the price. For up to five concurrent users, you'll pay a hefty £1,675 a year or £225 a month for the hosted version, rising in price for more users. This is a lot less than a bespoke videoconferencing room for the same number of users, but it means it's not a light decision if your usage will only be occasional. Still, if remote presentation is your business, e/pop has fantastic potential while for remote tuition and training it could be ideal. Tutoreasy (www.tutoreasy.com) already uses e/pop for its online tuition services.

Maybe Skype 2 will bring social videoconferencing to the masses, but if your conferencing needs are more professional e/pop could be just the ticket. There's a fully functional 15-day trial available to help you decide too.