In business applications, it is best to adopt products that conform to one of the ITU-T's audiovisual standards (H.320, H.323, or SIP). H.320 systems use circuit- switched digital channels for transmission. H.323 and SIP systems use packet- switched LANs and WANs for signal transport. Desktop-to-Group System Video Communication Products When a desktop product is equipped with an H.320 compliant codec and has a network interface that allows it to establish circuit-switched videoconferencing connections, it can communicate with other H.320-enabled videoconferencing group systems. However, H.323-based products can also communicate with H.320 group-systems if they make the connection through an H.320-to-H.323 gateway or MCU. Such gateways should also accommodate SIP. The applications for group-to-individual conferencing continue to expand. It is a good idea to trial desktop-to-group systems and to view the implementation from both ends (e.g., from the desktop and from the boardroom system). The quality of the picture and the sound that a person perceives on one end largely reflects the capabilities of the system on the other end, where the compression takes place. PERSONAL CONFERENCING MARKET DRIVERS Virtually all technology and social trends are converging and thereby launching renewed interest in personal conferencing. The Yankee Group anticipates that 17.5 million households will adopt VoIP calling by 2008. Skype, a P2P voice-over-IP (VoIP) service, anticipates 950,000 subscriptions and 2.2 million downloads of its software in Taiwan by 2006. The SkypeOut service, which provides a paid service connecting calls to traditional landlines, includes call conferencing, video conferencing, short messaging service (SMS) and voice mail. In short, Skype provides subscribers with everything for the price of Internet access and a USB phone. PC and Internet adoption is fueling the growth of IP communications, the most popular of which is instant messaging. Ironically, when Microsoft added IM to its videoconferencing product, t