Sponsored By

Lifesize ‘Huddles Up’ with Freemium OfferLifesize ‘Huddles Up’ with Freemium Offer

Lifesize is looking to increase its footing in huddle spaces and to grow videoconferencing adoption.

Ryan Daily

November 4, 2019

2 Min Read
Lifesize ‘Huddles Up’ with Freemium Offer

One of the persistent obstacles to the videoconferencing market has been low (but rising) adoption rates. In an effort to boost adoption, Lifesize and other companies have been attracting enterprises of all sizes with easy-to-implement solutions, interoperability, and free user licenses.

 

The shift to a freemium model is a way to “meet [users] where they are,” said Michael Helmbrecht, COO for Lifesize, during a No Jitter briefing. Teams and individuals are wanting to "self-experiment" with videoconferencing, particularly with the rise of huddle spaces within the enterprise.

 

Toward that end, Lifesize has introduced a freemium version of its Dash solution for small meeting spaces.

 

Lifesize Slashes ‘Dash’ Licensing

Launched a year ago, Lifesize designed Dash as a way "for customers to try room-based video and expand room-based video to more people and more spaces," Helmbrecht said. "Software-based room kits are a really great way to get people going when they're new to bringing video to meeting spaces," he added.

 

Previously, Lifesize charged $500 a year for Dash. Now, with its new licensing model, Lifesize users can implement Dash to Chromebox or Windows PC-based room kits, with Mac room kit support coming next year, free of charge. With each free Dash license, organizations can register one meeting room to the Lifesize cloud service. The freemium version of Dash is currently available to new and existing Lifesize customers, Lifesize said.

 

Features of Lifesize’s Dash videoconferencing solution include the ability to schedule or group video calls with up to 25 participants (sites), native interoperability, and support for incoming calls from external SIP/H.323 meeting room endpoints at no additional charge, Lifesize said.

 

Enabling Greater Room Control

Another way providers are attracting prospective customers to videoconferencing is by making the experience easy to use. In a move to give greater control to users, Lifesize also made a series of enhancements to its Room Controller app.

 

Lifesize_20Room_20Controller-min.png

With the updated app, meeting hosts and participants can “leave their laptops at their desk,” allowing them to use the Room Controller app to facilitate and manage their Dash meetings, Lifesize said. Some of the app features include camera controls, at-a-glance calendar views, one-touch joins, and other collaboration features.

About the Author

Ryan Daily

Ryan Daily is an associate editor and blogger for No Jitter, Informa Tech's online community for news and analysis of the enterprise convergence/unified communications industry, and program coordinator for Enterprise Connect. In her editorial role, Ryan is responsible for creating and editing content, engaging social media audiences, and leading the brand's diversity and inclusion initiative. In addition to this role, Ryan assists with the programming and planning of the Enterprise Connect event.

 

Before coming to Informa, Ryan worked as an editor for Perfumer & Flavorist magazine, where she regularly contributed in-depth feature articles for the flavor and fragrance industry and played a crucial role in two industry-related events: World Perfumery Congress and Flavorcon. Before this, she worked at Hallmark Data Systems and developed landing and web pages for various B2B publications.

 

She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Northern Illinois University and a master’s in writing and publishing from DePaul University. In her free time, Ryan enjoys going to live music events, running with her dog Iris, drawing, and watching movies.